The Red Mage: A Retelling of Final Fantasy 1
by nerak1138
Summary: The story of the Light Warriors who must save the world, and the Red Mage who is reluctant to join them. Reviews welcome.
1. Chapter 1: Darkness

**Author's Mumblings:** I've kept a lot of details true to the classic NES game, such as names (the Light Warriors' names are no more than 4 digits long, because that's all the game allowed) and items and whatnot, but I've taken some creative liberties, too. The White Mage, for example, is a woman. Frankly, I think that makes total sense, since her robe looks like a dress and she has long, red hair. You could even argue that the white magic she casts paints her as a mother figure, protecting the rest of the party, or some such nonsense. Whatever. The main thing is the Red Mage: He's always been my favorite character. He's a snappy dresser. Who wouldn't love him?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. I am neither a square nor soft.**

Coneria was a small but beautiful kingdom on the tip of a broad peninsula in an inland sea. The soil was rich and fertile and the citizens were sheltered from storms on all sides by the vast continents that wrapped around. For the most part, the inhabitants were happy. The King was a kind and fair man, and their kingdom was far removed from the dangers of the world. They all heard the stories of what went on beyond their safe city walls. They all knew of the dangerous creatures that lurked in the forests, the pirates in the sea, and the Dark Elf that waged war somewhere far to the south, and rumors of four elemental Fiends, but it was all so far away. They all felt safe. All, that is, except for Lukahn.

Lukahn the Prophet warned of danger for Coneria and the rest of the world. One day, he gave a speech before the entire kingdom, where he made a series of predictions. First, he predicted that those closest to the King would betray him; second, darkness would fall on Coneria; and last, when all hope seemed lost, four warriors would arrive bearing four orbs who would go forth to bring light back to the world. These Light Warriors, he said, would be the saviors of Coneria. Shortly afterwards, Lukahn went on a pilgrimage to Crescent Lake and was never heard from again.

One who doubted the words of the prophet was Garland, the King's knight. He vowed to protect Coneria to his dying breath and believed he was strong enough to stop anything the dark forces could throw at him. In a sense, he was correct. It was not darkness that would be his undoing, but love.

The King's wife had been dead for some time, and he worried about having an heir to the throne, so he finally married a young princess named Jane, making her his Queen. Jane cared for the older King, but she wanted children desperately. After a year of marriage to him, she knew what the King would not admit to himself: He had no heirs from his previous marriage because he was infertile. One night, Jane crept down to Garland's bedchamber and woke him. "Give me a child," she whispered to him.

Soon after, the royal family welcomed Princess Sara. Although the King was expected to want a son for an heir, he was delighted with his daughter and loved her more than anything in the world. "Could we have another?" He asked Queen Jane.

"A Prince?" She asked.

"Another Princess."

She smiled warmly at him and kissed his face, hoping the guilt did not show on hers. That night, she again visited Garland, and visited him every night for a month until she was sure she was pregnant, again. For her, it was simply a matter procreation. Garland, however, saw it as making love, and he told her so. She vowed never to sleep with him, again.

Years passed, and the king and queen raised their daughters, but Garland could not stop thinking about Jane. Each year, his obsession grew stronger and stronger. On Sara's sixteenth birthday, Garland said to Jane, "Please come to my room tonight. I must have you."

Jane fixed him with a cold stare. "I do not know what you are talking about. If ever say anything like that to me again, I shall have your tongue cut out of your dirty mouth."

Garland carefully hid his rage. He calmly told his squire, Mace, that it was time for Princess Sara's horseriding lesson. Sara, her attendants, Mace, and Garland all rode outside of the city walls. As soon as they out of sight of the town, Garland attacked the aides and rode off with Princess Sara. He took her to an ancient ruin, the Temple of Fiends, far to the north and bound and gagged her. He paced anxiously, wondering what to do next, when he heard a voice come from somewhere near the altar.

"_What will you do, now, Sir Garland? You can never go back to Coneria."_

"Who are you?" Garland demanded, drawing his sword. "Show yourself!"

"_You poor child, cast aside by that evil woman," The voice went on. "We can help you get revenge on her. We can make her wish she had never crossed you. We can help you seek vengeance on everyone."_

"I am hardly a child," Garland said, approaching the altar. "I'm getting old." He jumped around the altar, but there was no one on the other side. The voice laughed. It seemed to be coming from everywhere, now.

Sara watched with growing fear. She could hear no voice other than Garlands. As she watched, he continued speaking to this unseen force. From what she could discern, it seemed to be striking a bargain with him. After a time, a deal was struck, and Garland opened his arm with a knife over the altar. Blood splattered on the cold stone. Sara tried to scream, but the gag muffled it. And then, all at once, the light was sucked out of the room. Darkness flowed in a tangible stream through the air, to the altar, and into Garland's wounds, healing them. His eyes turned black and his muscles swelled under his armor. Sara screamed again, but this time, the noise was drowned by the sound of thunder outside. A storm the likes of which no one had ever seen was brewing. It swept through Coneria, damaging the town. When it finally blew over, the King sent some men out to find Garland and the others. They found bodies, and a gravely injured Mace, who told them what had happened. As they carried him back to the castle, they were attacked by Imps; dark creatures who had not been seen in the area for hundreds of years. It was then that they knew that Darkness had come to Coneria.


	2. Chapter 2: The Crystals

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. And owning a cat does not make me a movie villain. Unfortunately.**

*********************************************************************

By the time Mace regained consciousness, his wounds were nearly healed. He wondered how long it had been since the attack. Garland… my mentor. He was like a father to me. How could he have done this?

"Are you hungry?" A gentle female voice asked.

"No," He lied, trying to sit up.

"Stay down. You must rest."

"I have to see the King immediately," He insisted, getting slowly, painfully to his feet. He recognized this place, now. It was the village clinic. He should not be there unless… "Was I dead?"

"For a time," The woman said solemnly. "Your compatriots were not so lucky. By the time you were found, the had been gone for too long to bring back."

She turned the oil lamp up and Mace blinked in the sudden brightness, studying her. She was young, close to his own age, wearing a white robe and hood with red trim. Her hair underneath the hood was the color of fire. He thought he remembered her from childhood. She had left for apprenticeship before he had. What was her name…?

"You are the White Wizard's apprentice, correct?" He asked.

"Yes. I am Aura. When you are well enough to see the King, the Wizard will go with you."

"Why?" Mace asked.

Aura walked to a small shrine set into the wall where a small ball of crystal lay. It was the color of smoke. "Shortly after Garland kidnapped Princess Sara, the last spark of light was drained from this crystal. It has been in my family for generations, and the story goes that, when the last light has faded from it, the most able-bodied family member must go on a quest to bring the light back."

Mace walked over and stood next to her, studying the darkened crystal. "I wonder if mine has grown dark, as well."

She looked at him, startled. "What?"

"I have a crystal just like this one," He said, pointing. "It was given to me by my grandfather. It glows ever so faintly with a greenish light. Has it gone dark, too?"

*********************************************************************

Dax walked through the forest without fear, singing a song of adventure. The woodland creatures had grown more and more aggressive in recent times, but they still left him alone, for the most part. The Dwarves had always marveled over his abilities with animals.

"I should have stayed with them," Dax said aloud. "They accepted me, even if they were as crazy as loons."

Dax's father was an Elf, his mother a human. Shortly after his mother became pregnant, the Elves asked his parents to leave Elfland, "for the good of the species". Likewise, his mother's hometown of Coneria had not been very welcoming to the young lovers, despite the peace treaty that had existed between their peoples for many generations. Elves, they said, were not trustworthy. His mother died in childbirth, and his father died soon after. Dax had spent most of his life being raised by the Dwarves to the west of Coneria, but he could not stay settled. The open road called to him.

A strange noise in the forest stopped him, and Dax listened. It sounded like wolves. He crept forward and peered through the bushes. A pack of wolves, perhaps twenty strong, surrounded a small carriage. The horses were dead and mostly eaten. The doors were open. There did not appear to be any people around. One of the wolves spotted him and growled. The others looked up from their feast of horse flesh and regarded him with suspicion. Dax came out of hiding and walked slowly up to the carriage. The leader of the pack intercepted him.

"Easy," He whispered, extending a hand. His gloves were leather with the fingers cut off. The wolf sniffed his finger tips, teeth bared. Dax closed his eyes and waited. He felt the wolf move away from him, and heard the sounds of the feast resuming. Dax opened his eyes and walked over to the carriage. He found bits of clothing and blood inside.

"Ugh, that's a shame," He muttered. He pulled out a piece of undamaged luggage and opened it. Clothes. He pulled them out, one by one, tossing them over his shoulder. The wolves sniffed them curiously, but otherwise ignored what he was doing.

"Hello, what's this?" Dax pulled out a small crystal ball that easily fit into his hand. It was dark and muddy colored. "Hm. Maybe I can get a piece of gold for you." He tucked the crystal into his pocket and resumed scavenging. A lovely dagger in an ornate scabbard was the only other thing of interest he found. Dax patted the wolf leader on the head and continued on his way to Coneria to sell his finds, whistling.

*********************************************************************

Meanwhile, a mysterious figure approached Castle Coneria. A guard intercepted him at the gate. "Halt! Identify yourself."

He could not see who was under the broad brimmed straw hat. From within his dark robes, the stranger unearthed a small gray crystal ball.

"I must speak with the King immediately," The stranger said in a dark voice. "I bring urgent news from Lukahn the Prophet."


	3. Chapter 3: Doubt

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. And you probably don't, either. If you do, what in the world are you doing reading fan fiction about it? Weirdo.**

********************************************************************

"Are you certain that Garland had something to do with this?" The King asked quietly.

The mysterious stranger, the White Wizard and Aura all looked at each other, and then at Mace. Mace sighed. "Sire, I can not vouch for everyone else, but I know what I saw with my own eyes. He attacked me and Princess Sara's attendants, and then left us for dead. As far as these Orbs go…" He paused and held his up for the King to see. Like the others, it had gone dark. "… I don't know what to think."

"I don't care about the Orbs," The King said, sounding tired. "I only care about my daughter's well-being. I've sent my best soldiers to the ancient temple ruins to find her, but none have returned. I will personally fund your quest if you first bring my daughter home."

"I'm afraid we can not do that, Your Highness," The White Wizard said. "There is one missing."

"There are four Orbs of Power," The mysterious stranger chimed in. "We have but three."

"Where is the last?" The King asked.

"Do not fear," The stranger said. "It shall come. Lukahn has Seen it."

********************************************************************

The shopkeeper was bald, fat, and infinitely ugly. He reeked of ale. Dax could tell he was not going to like this man, but he had no choice. He needed money. He placed the dagger he'd found on the counter with a flourish. The shopkeeper eyed it, removed it from the scabbard briefly, then put it back on the counter. "Twenty."

Dax scoffed, "It's worth fifty, easy."

The shopkeeper gave him a look. "For an Elf trader, it's worth twenty."

Dax smiled without humor and touched the pointed ears that peeked out of his long, silvery hair. "I am half human."

"The only thing worse than an Elf is half of one," The storekeeper told him. "Twenty."

Dax reached into his robes and pulled out the small, dusky ball of crystal. "What about that?"

The shopkeeper wrinkled his nose. "I've got no use for trinkets. We deal in arms."

"Fine," Dax said. "Twenty five for the dagger."

Wordlessly, the shopkeeper counted out twenty five pieces of gold and dumped them on the counter. Dax scooped them into his coin purse with one sweep of his hand and adjusted his wide-brimmed red hat. "A pleasure."

He stepped outside, tossing the crystal ball in the air and catching it with one hand, over and over. He felt a little better with some coin in his pocket, but his mother's home town left much to be desired. _Maybe I should move on and try Provoka, next._

He tossed the ball into the air again, but this time, someone else caught it. A tall man with a white beard and white robes on.

"I beg your pardon, sir, but that's mine," Dax said cautiously. He could feel great energy coming from this person and it made him nervous.

"Where did you find this?" The man in white asked.

"Who says I found it?" Dax challenged.

"It does not matter if he found it, or not," A gravelly voice interjected. "It belongs to him, now, which means he belongs to it."

Dax turned around. A young woman in similar white robes, a young man in wooden armor, and a small man in black robes and a large straw hat stood behind him. The smaller man's face was hidden under the hat, and his eyes twinkled mysteriously. Dax didn't like this, at all. He smiled at the people, trying to hide his nervousness.

"You know what? I'm feeling generous, today," Dax said casually. "Keep it. As a gift."

"We are not here to torment you," The woman said soothingly. "We are here to ask for your help."

"I'm afraid I'm fresh out of that," Dax said in mock sympathy. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He tried to leave, but the short man in the dark robes got in his way. "You carry the Orb of Power. You must come with us on a quest."

Dax sighed. "Listen. The old man is right; it's not mine. I found it in the woods a day's travel from here. I'm afraid the owner is residing in the stomachs of a dozen wolves, right now, and won't be available to help your quest."

"There are no accidents in these times," The dark man insisted. "You were chosen. You found the Orb for a reason." The dark stranger held his hand out to the white-bearded man. The white-bearded man reluctantly handed over the orb, and the dark stranger handed it back to Dax.

Dax looked at the cool ball of crystal in his hand. "I… I don't want it."

The young man in wooden armor stepped forward. "Just come with us to the old ruins to save Princess Sara. The King of Coneria will reward you for your service. Then, if you still feel you are not the right man for the job, we will part ways."

"Surely there is someone better suited for this job," Dax argued. "I am not a knight."

"Neither am I," The young man told him. "I am but a squire. My knight was the one who kidnapped the Princess and left me for dead. Now I am bound by honor to get her back." He paused and held up his own crystal ball that looked identical to Dax's. "I do not wish to be a coward like the traitor who took her. If I am to go on this quest for the Orbs, I must prove myself worthy. Rescuing Princess Sara is a test."

The dark and mysterious stranger held up an Orb of his own. "Lukahn the Prophet fortold of four warriors who would bring light back to the Orbs. You must come with us."

_I will come with them, _Dax thought. _I can lose them in the forest. There is not a tracker alive who can find me._ Aloud he said, "All right, I'll go."

The handsome young man in wooden armor grinned and put out his hand. "My name is Mace."

"Dax," Dax said, shaking hands with him reluctantly.

"I am Aura," The woman said. As Dax reached over to take her hand, a long strand of red hair tumbled out of her hood.

_She is beautiful. She shouldn't hide her hair like that,_ Dax thought.

The tall white-haired man shook hands with him next. "I am Zephran, the White Wizard of Coneria."

Dax nodded, trying not to crawl out of his own skin, and turned to the small dark stranger with the gravelly voice. Dax bent his head down a little, trying to peer under the hat to see his face. "And you are?"

The dark man did not shake his hand, and he seemed to grow two shades darker.

"Edan," The dark man said eventually.

"Charmed," Dax said. "So, when do we go on this rescue party."

"You must leave immediately," Zephram told them. He pulled out his own darkened Orb and placed it in Aura's hands. "Time is of the essence."

"But, I can not go," Aura said softly. "I am not even a mage."

"As of today, you are officially a White Mage," Zephram told her, handing her his wooden staff. "I am too old to go marching off to battle. You are young, and I trust your abilities. The Orb has always been passed down to the most able-bodied family member. That is you, my daughter."

"Yes, father."

Dax glanced at Mace to see his reaction. The squire was clearly displeased about having a woman in his party, but was too polite to say so.

"Now go and save the Princess," Zephram commanded.


	4. Chapter 4: The Temple of Fiends

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. Why is it called "Final Fantasy" when there are, like, thirteen sequels? Kind of defeats the purpose of it being "final," doesn't it?**

********************************************************************

The four warriors marched through the tall grass of Coneria Plains, heading north to the ruins once known as the Temple of Fiends. Mace marched at the front of the pack, looking brave and resolute, but inwardly cringing at the thought of facing Garland in battle. Dax came next, keeping his eyes open for any possible means of escaping. Aura and Edan brought up the rear, walking side-by-side but not speaking to one another.

"This is crazy," Dax whispered to himself. "What am I doing out here? I don't belong on this idiotic quest. I should be in Pravoka, drinking wine and listening to the sailors tell tales of high seas adventures."

Aura kept her eyes on Dax's red cape as they walked, watching it swish with his movements. His broad red hat was made of the same leather as his boots, and his silvery hair blew in the wind. She had never seen an Elf before, let alone a half-Elf. She wondered if they all had silver hair.

Mace stopped walking suddenly, staring straight ahead. Dax peered around him, but didn't see anything. He was about to ask him what was going on when he heard it. Laughter echoing over the grassy hills. It sounded like children, but he knew it was _not _children.

"What is it?" Aura whispered.

"Imps," Mace said with contempt, drawing his rapier.

Dax drew his dagger and waited, his eyes scanning the tall grass. He heard Aura's breathing quicken and wanted to comfort her, but before he could say anything, a movement caught his eye.

"There," Dax pointed.

"And there," Mace added, pointing elsewhere.

"They are trying to surround us," Edan growled. The dark man threw his dark cloak back to bare his arms and raised his wooden staff in the air. A concussion shot through the air, making Dax's ears pop. The grass around them flattened for a hundred yards in every direction, creating a clear field of battle. Just beyond that, the grass rippled ominously.

Suddenly, six Imps charged at them. Mace felled the first one easily with one sweep of his rapier. Aura took a swing at one, but missed. It danced away from her, laughing. Edan clubbed one over the head with his staff, stunning it, and Dax quickly stabbed it.

The remaining four Imps retreated to the edge of the clearing and whispered to one another. Edan did not wait for them to come up with a plan. He stepped forward and uttered a chant, casting a fireball that fried the closest Imp. It screamed as it died, and the others charged with rage in their eyes. Mace killed another one. Dax swung at the one that charged him, but it ducked and weaved under his blows. He finally punched it in the mouth then stabbed it before it could recover. The last Imp had gone after Aura. She fended off its knife with her staff, looking terrified. Mace ran over and attacked the Imp from behind, finishing it.

The party stood for a moment, catching their collective breath. Mace pulled out a cloth and carefully cleaned the blood from his blade. Dax bend down and began patting the pockets of the dead Imps.

"What are you doing?" Aura asked him.

Dax held up a gold coin that he had retrieved from one of the Imps. "Getting paid for my services."

She didn't respond. Mace had begun walking, again, and she quickly joined him. Edan followed. Dax finished collecting money from the bodies before joining them. He showed Aura a coin trick, making it disappear from one hand and appear in the other.

"That is silly," She said, but smiled.

"Maybe you'll like this one, better," He suggested. He showed her the coin, cupped his hand around it and blew. He opened his hands wide to show her that it had disappeared, then reached over and plucked it out of her hood.

"You _do_ know magic," She said, awed. "I thought you did."

"I only know some slight-of-hand," He told her. "Not real magic."

"I can sense it in you," She said firmly. "I know you possess great power."

Dax just shook his head. Up ahead, Mace called, "There it is."

Edan and Aura ran over. Dax did not run, but walked over causally. Far away, they could make out the ruins of an ancient temple. A large forest lay between them.

"That is actually two forests," Mace said, pointing. "With some marshland in between."

_A forest, at last. Now I can plan my escape,_ Dax thought. Aloud, he said. "We'd better get going if we're going to make it there before nightfall."

*****************************************************************

The first forest was not very dense. The marsh was small and muddy, making it difficult to cross. A couple of Imps attacked them, but were quickly felled. The second forest was thick and dark, which pleased Dax. He waited until they were well into the forest, then stooped down and fiddled with his boot straps. Aura and Edan moved around him and kept walking after Mace, not suspecting a thing. Dax stood and melted into the trees, smiling.

His smile vanished a moment later when he encountered a wolf. It stood directly in his path and growled. Dax's blood chilled. There was something wrong with this wolf. He could sense it. Something had made it go mad. He heard movement behind him and turned his head slightly. Anther wolf was sneaking up behind him. Very slowly, he reached under his cape for his dagger. Without warning, the wolf in front of him leapt at his throat.

*****************************************************************

Mace heard the sound of fighting, and a very human-like yell. He whirled around, trying to pinpoint the noise, and realized someone was missing.

"Where is Dax?" Mace asked. The others looked around uncertainly.

Mace ran toward the sounds of combat. He burst through the underbrush and found Dax on the ground with two wolves on top of him. Without even stopping to think, he ran over and grabbed the wild beasts one at a time, flinging them off of the figure, then drew his rapier and attacked the nearest wolf. Edan arrived and attacked the other wolf, clubbing it with his staff. Aura ran to Dax to check on him. His sleeves were torn and she could see that his arms were badly mauled and bleeding. She quietly and carefully chanted a spell to heal his wounds, oblivious to the combat not even five feet behind her. As soon as she finished, Dax leapt to his feet and ran to Edan to assist him. Between the two of them, the wolf quickly fell. Mace finished his wolf at about the same time.

Dax carefully rolled up his torn and bloody sleeves to examine his arms. The wounds had healed well, but still had angry red marks on them that were tender to the touch. Movement caught his eye and he looked up just in time to see Mace punch him. Dax went sprawling, and Aura jumped in between them.

"Mace, stop it!" She yelled.

Mace ignored her and pointed a finger at the half-Elf. "Where were you going?"

"Nowhere," Dax said. "I stopped to retie my boots, and when I looked up-"

"You are _lying!_" Mace shouted, furious.

Dax staggered back to his feet, rubbing his jaw. His right hand clenched into a fist in case the young squire came at him again. Instead, the small and mysterious Edan came up to him.

"This is unacceptable, Dax," Edan said darkly. "We must be able to count on one another. We need your word that you will support us in this mission and not try to run, again."

"If you do, I will kill you myself," Mace added. He pushed Aura aside, grabbed Dax by his shirt collar and shoved him to the front of the party. "Now start marching, and do not stop until we reach the Temple of Fiends."

Dax spat on the ground, the turned and began walking. His stomach broiled with anger. As commanded, he marched forth until they emerged from the forest and found the temple ruins looming in front of them.

"It's much bigger than I'd thought it would be," Dax said, looking up. Massive stone pillars guarded the entrance. One had broken and tumbled to the ground, leaving chunks of rock as big as a man along the grassy lawn. The stairs had deep cracks in them, and fog rolled along the ground. The air was suddenly cold.

"Come on," Mace said, and led the way into the Temple of Fiends.

Inside it was dark. Mace and Aura had to wait for their eyes to adjust, but Dax, being half-Elf, could see clearly right away. He noticed Edan staring at him and smiled at him. Edan looked away.

"That door leads to the main chamber," Mace pointed, whispering. "Weapons at ready."

Everyone drew their weapons and followed the young squire to the door. Dax saw Mace's hand shaking as he reached for the door ring, but said nothing. The door swung open on rusting hinges with a loud protest. On an altar in the middle of the room lay Princess Sara, bound and gagged. She appeared to be unconscious, or worse. Between them and her stood a massive figure in full armor. Bats flew around the room listlessly.

"What's this?" The giant said. "Has my own squire come to fight me?"

"I am not your squire, any more," Mace said resolutely. "I have come for Princess Sara."

"No one touches _my_ Princess," Garland snarled.

"Garland, what has happened to you?" Aura spoke up. "You no longer look… human."

"The Fiends have given me great Power," Garland said. "They have drained the light from the four Orbs of Power and given me the strength of ten men."

"Then when we have finished with you, our quarrel is with the Fiends," Mace told him. "We are the Light Warriors, as foretold by the Prophet Lukahn. We shall defeat you and the Fiends, and bring light back to the Orbs!"

"Light Warriors?" Garland laughed and drew his sword. "You impertinent fools. I, Garland, will knock you all down!"

And with that, Garland leapt forward and swung at his former squire. Mace, in trying to dodge, fell backwards. Garland raised his sword over his head and brought it crashing down at Mace. Dax intercepted and blocked Garland's attack with his dagger. The steel squealed and his arms vibrated painfully under the force of the blow. Dax gritted his teeth. Garland hit him with an elbow that sent him flying.

_He really does have the strength of ten men,_ Dax realized with a twinge of fear.

Aura stepped forth and cast a spell that made her appear to be mirrored into several copies of herself. Garland swung at her, but hit only empty air. He roared in frustration and hit Edan with the hilt of his sword as he chanted a spell. Edan crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Mace leapt to his feet and charged the knight, yelling senselessly. The two swords clanged against each other, over and over, as the two dueled. Aura took the opportunity to tend to Edan.

_Enough of this_, Dax thought, and got to his feet. He chanted the words he had heard Edan say in the grasslands and felt a surge of satisfaction as a fireball shot from his hand to the knight. Garland roared again, this time in pain, and Mace attacked him with renewed determination. Dax ran over and joined him. Between the two of them, the knight soon fell. Dax sank to the ground, exhausted.

"How did you do that?" Mace asked him. "I thought you didn't know magic."

Dax shrugged. "I don't know."

Mace studied him for a moment, then went to Priness Sara and began to untie her. Edan groaned and got up with the help of Aura. She cast a healing spell on him. Mace returned, carrying the unconscious Sara in his arms.

"We must hurry and get back to Castle Coneria before night fall," Mace announced. The two mages followed him. Dax got back to his feet with a weary sigh. A bat swooped down and he shooed it away, annoyed.

"Kee… kee…" It said.

Dax stopped and watched the bats for a moment. There was something about them….

"Dax, come on!" Mace yelled. Dax sheathed his dagger and ran to catch up to them.


	5. Chapter 5: Red Magic

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. One of the voices in my head claims to, but I don't believe him.**

********************************************************************

Dax and Mace took turns carrying Sara. As they approached the castle, a lookout spotted them. By the time they reached the gate, a huge crowd had gathered. They cheered and shouted to the heroes of Coneria. Dax couldn't help but smile. _I could get used to this hero stuff._

The queen and Princess Suraya met them at the gate and hugged Sara, crying. Sara woke up in their arms, looking as though she'd had the strangest dream. A guard whispered something to Mace, who nodded and motioned for the others to follow. They ventured to the throne room where the King waited for them. They all bowed humbly before the king.

"Thank you for saving the Princess," The King said quietly. "To aid your quest, I have ordered a bridge to be built to the main continent."

"Thank you, your majesty," Mace said.

"I've also sent orders to the shop in Coneria," He went on. "You may select any weapons and armor you need. They will be paid for out of the royal treasury. Now go, and make the Orbs shine again!"

As they left the castle, a voice called after them. "Light Warriors, please wait!" It was Princess Sara. She ran up to them, carrying a lute. "This lute has been passed down from Queen to Princess for two thousand years. Please accept it as my gift."

***********************************************************************

Dax took great pleasure in making the rude shop keeper serve him, as per the King's orders. He took his time picking out the chain mail he wanted. He had to get a new shirt, as well, to replace the one he'd torn and bloodied. They didn't have red, so he settled for white. As he admired himself in the mirror, it occurred to Dax that he could refuse to go with these so-called "Light Warriors". He'd helped them get the Princess back, just as he said he would. He didn't necessarily have to keep up this insane game of heroism.

On the other hand, Mace's plan was to go to Pravoka to determine their next destination and book passage on a ship. Dax had planned on going to Pravoka, anyway, and the trip would be infinitely less dangerous with three companions. Perhaps he would stick with these odd people just a bit longer.

Aura could not handle any of the weapons or armor available in Coneria, so she took the time she had to say goodbye to her father. She still thought it would be better for the mission for him to go in her place, but she could not persuade him. She had never left Coneria in her life. The trip to the Temple of Fiends had been the furthest from home she had ever traveled. The idea of going all the way to Pravoka terrified her, and had to fight back tears as they prepared to leave.

Mace was determined to prove himself worthy of knighthood, in spite of his own fears and doubts. He felt this more so, now, after defeating Garland, but he still doubted his abilities as a leader. What if he led his party into a trap? What if someone died?

Edan waited for everyone else at the city's gate. He doubted the abilities of his party members more than anything else, especially the half-breed, Dax. He did not say anything, though, because he trusted Lukahn, and everything he'd been told by the Prophet so far had come true. Perhaps they had a chance, after all.

*****************************************************************

The trip to Pravoka was long and treacherous. Nearly all of the time they traveled through thick forests where Imps and wolves attacked them frequently. After three days, they reached a small clearing.

"This forest up ahead is the last one before Pravoka," Mace announced.

"Thank goodness," Dax muttered. "I could use a night in a nice, warm hotel bed."

"And a bath," Aura added with a sigh.

"Come on," Mace urged. "Let's keep going."

They entered the forest. Fallen branches and steep hills made the going slow. Dax kept his eyes on the ground to keep from tripping. He hiked along, lost in his own thoughts and humming. Reality came crashing back when he found himself stepping into a crater that he realized was, in fact, a very large and fresh footprint. Dax froze and motioned for the others behind him to be still. It took a moment for them to notice.

"What is it?" Aura asked. Dax hushed her. Mace turned around and looked at them curiously, but wisely did not speak. For a moment, nobody moved. Dax closed his eyes and listened carefully to the forest around them. _There, that noise. Footsteps. Very large ones. And getting closer._

Aura heard it, too, and sucked her breath in quickly. "What is that?"

"Ogres," Dax whispered.

Mace, who stood about thirty feet away, suddenly looked to his right and motioned everyone to get down and hide. Dax, Aura and Edan crouched behind the bushes and watched Mace do the same. The footsteps grew louder and louder, until finally, two huge figures lumbered into view. Aura's heart beat against her breastbone painfully. Each Ogre was as tall as a house and nearly as wide, swinging clubs as big as a man. Their heads were strangely small, though; no bigger than her own. She doubted they were very smart. In between the two Ogres was a creature she had never seen before. It looked like a huge purple gourd with feet and antennae. A mouth she hadn't noticed opened and she could see it had many sharp teeth. The creature stopped walking and sniffed at the air with its antennae. They seemed to be pointing in the direction of Mace.

_Uh oh,_ Aura thought as the creature began moving towards him. Beside her, Dax quietly unsheathed his dagger. Suddenly, Mace attacked the creature, apparently wanting to catch it by surprise. One clean swipe from his rapier cut a couple of the beast's feelers off. It screamed inhumanly, and the Ogres ran to it with frightening speed. Dax charged, dagger raised. He attacked the creature that Mace was fighting to finish it off, quickly. Beside her, Aura could hear Edan chanting a spell. A noise distracted Aura and she turned, just in time to see one of the massive clubs come down on her head.

Darkness.

*****************************************************************

They only had one healing potion, and Mace had already used it on himself when one of the Ogres broke his sword arm. It was necessary for him to fight in order to save them all from the Ogres, but when he found out how badly injured Aura was, he felt devastated. Aura's skull was crushed. She had a faint pulse, but he doubted that she would be alive for long.

"Can we move her?" Edan asked.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Dax said quietly. Mace paced back and forth, cursing himself silently. _Should have bought more healing potions. Should have been more careful. Should have kept a sharper lookout for Ogres. Should have taken better care to guard Aura. She's our only healer…_

Mace stopped pacing and dropped to one knee by Dax. "Can you heal her?"

"With what?" Dax asked.

"Do you remember the words she used to heal?"

"Me?" Dax laughed. "No, I… I'm not a magic-user. That one time was just a fluke. I can't…" He faded off.

"If you don't do something, she'll die," Mace snapped. "You have to try."

"Even if he could learn magic, he could only learn black magic, since that is what he has already used," Edan pointed out. "A magic user is either white or black. He can not learn both."

Dax studied Aura wordlessly. Her hood had fallen off and her beautiful red hair was matted with blood. Her breathing was shallow and erratic. Dax took a deep breath and touched her hand. _I must remember the words. I must try._ He began to speak, and he did not even realize what he was saying. The words came from somewhere else, outside of him. He opened his eyes and saw the wound pulling itself together.

"My head hurts," Aura mumbled.

"I know, honey," Dax said, scooping her up into his arms. "Let's go find some place for you to rest."

Mace gaped at him, dumbfounded, and quickly got to his feet to resume marching to Pravoka. Edan got to his feet more slowly. _This can not be right,_ He thought suspiciously. _No one can learn both kinds of magic. What sort of creature is this half-breed?_


	6. Chapter 6: Pravoka

**Author's mumblings:** Bikke's dialogue is taken directly from the game, just because it cracks me up every time. Especially the line he says about his ship. I had to make him drunk just so it would make sense. You'll see what I mean, if you're not familiar with the game.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. No shirt, no shoes, no piratin'.**

********************************************************************

Pravoka was eerily quiet. They did not see a soul as they walked through the town.

"Where is everyone?" Dax wondered out loud.

Mace searched the windows of houses for signs of life as they passed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"I have been to this town before, and it was full of people," Edan told them. "It does not make sense. The inn is straight ahead. We should check there and seek help for Aura."

They crossed the central courtyard where a fountain spouted water into the air; the only noise to be heard besides their own footsteps. As they opened the door to the inn, a young woman at the front desk looked up and gasped.

"Oh, those bastards!" She cried. "What have they done, now?"

"We need a doctor, or a healer," Dax said, carefully laying Aura on the sofa in the foyer.

"Um," The young woman hesitated. "The doctor refuses to go anywhere until after dark."

"What?" Dax sputtered. "Why?"

"Because of the pirates," She said, confused. "Aren't they the ones who attacked your friend?"

*********************************************************************

A fat bearded man with a pirate's hat came out of the Leviathan Tavern, drinking ale from a large stein. Foam stuck to his moustache, which he wiped on his sleeve, and he belched loudly.

"Excuse me," A voice called to him. "Are you Bikke the Pirate?"

"Aye," The man belched again and turned around slowly, weaving a little. "I am Bikke the Pirate."

Three young men marched up to him. The one in the dashing red cape knocked the beer stein out of the pirate's hand. It hit the ground with a loud _crack_, spilling the last of the ale on the cobblestone street. The fat pirate glared at them.

"Surprised I am that you scurvy dogs have the nerve to face me," Bikke slurred, then shouted over his shoulder, "Mates! Get those landlubbers!"

Nine pirates streamed out of the Leviathan Tavern and surrounded the three Light Warriors. They drew theirs scimitars and advanced slowly, snickering and leering.

"Any more bright ideas?" Mace muttered.

"I may have one," Edan said in his gravelly voice. "I've been working on a new spell. Now may be a good time to try it."

Edan stepped forward with his wooden staff raised and chanted a spell. The pirates nodded sleepily and dropped to the ground, snoring. Two of them got back up almost immediately, shaking themselves. Mace could see another beginning to stir.

"Quickly, before it wears off!" Mace said.

They charged the pirates. It was an easy victory. Even when fully awake, the pirates were not terribly good fighters: they were too drunk on ale and power. When the last of them had fallen, Mace went up to Bikke. Bikke had sat down on the cobblestones and fallen asleep, but Mace was fairly certain it was not from the spell. He nudged the fat pirate captain with his boot, waking him.

"Okay, you got me," Bikke waved his hand at them dismissively. "Take my ship."

The Light Warriors looked at one another skeptically.

"I won't be a bother any more," Bikke mumbled, nodding off again. "I promise."

Almost immediately, people began coming out of their houses to see the spectacle laid out before their eyes. The White Magic shop opened and an old man peered out, curious. Dax went over to him.

"Are you the town's healer?" He asked.

"My, my," The old man said, laughing at him. "I've not seen an Elf for a long time."

Dax ignored the comment. "There's a young woman at the Inn who needs your help."

****************************************************************

As promised, Captain Bikke's pirate ship sat in the port, waiting for them. Mace boarded it cautiously with his sword drawn, but there was no one on board. The Light Warriors searched the cabins. It was well stocked with food and supplies and seemed well taken care of.

"That was too easy," Dax said, sheathing his own new sword. The townspeople had been very gracious to the Light Warriors for liberating them from the pirates, and the money Dax had collected from the Imps and pirates was more than enough for them to stock up on better weapons and armor.

"Anything would seem easy after those Ogres," Aura said with a shiver.

"Hold your tongue," Mace said. "I have a feeling things are not going to get any easier for us. Where should we go?"

"Some of the townspeople suggested we try Elfland," Aura said.

"I'm more interested in Melmond. Have you heard of it?" Dax asked. The others shook their heads. "It's a town far away from here on the western continent. I met an old man at the inn who is from there, and he said there are some strange things happening. The earth is literally rotting out from underneath the peoples' feet."

"Earth is one of the elements controlled by the Orbs," Edan said. "It is likely we will find answers there."

"How do we get there?" Mace asked. "We are trapped in the Aldi Sea."

"We shouldn't be," Dax said slowly, frowning. "Nerrick was building a canal to connect the Aldi Sea to the Western Ocean. He was nearly finished the last time I saw him, and that was months ago. Surely he's done, by now."

"I was there not more than two weeks ago. There is no canal," Mace said. "Who is Nerrick?"

Dax hesitated. He knew what was coming. "He's a Dwarf."

Mace sighed and drummed his fingers on the railing of the ship, thinking. _What wonderful luck. We have a choice between visiting the xenophobic Elves or the mad Dwarves. Which is worse?_

"Melmond is clearly our best destination," Mace announced. "We will check on the canal and, if it has not been completed, we will visit this… Nerrick."

Edan turned around so the others would not hear him breathe a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to visit the Elves.

*******************************************************************

The Aldi Sea was completely encircled by land, but it was vast enough that it seemed as endless as any ocean. Dax leaned on the railing of the ship and gazed at the water as the sun set. It was beautiful. The air smelled wonderful, the breeze was good, and the ship was sturdy, but Dax could not feel content.

_What am I doing, here? _He thought to himself. _I don't belong with these people. I'm no "Light Warrior." I keep telling myself that I'll leave, but I keep staying. Why? These people don't care about me. I'm just a freak of nature to them. A mutant half-breed. They'll never accept me for who I am. No one will._

"Hello, Dax," Aura said, startling him. "Oh! I am sorry. Do you want me to leave?"

"No, I just didn't see you," He patted the railing next to him. "Please join me."

She came over, but stood up straight instead of hunching over on her elbows, like Dax. It made him smile.

"I was nervous about getting on a ship," She said shyly. "My father gets terrible seasickness. It does not seem to be affecting me, though," She paused and looked down at her hands. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"I was glad to help," Dax told her.

They fell silent. Aura stared down at her hands, her hood nearly hiding her face completely. Dax thought, _She's uncomfortable around me._

Aura thought, _I feel so useless. I can't fight, I nearly got myself killed, and now I am the only one on this ship who doesn't know how to sail. I don't belong here._

They both sighed.

"We should rename this ship," Dax said suddenly.

"I didn't even know it had a name," Aura confessed. "I suppose they all do. What is its name?"

"Brustwarzen," Dax chuckled.

She looked confused. "Breast warts?"

"Nipples," He told her.

"Oh…" She made a face and they both laughed. "Yes, we should change that."

Dax caught himself loving the way she laughed and forced himself to look away. _What are you doing?_ He chastised himself._ She's not interested in you and, even if she were, it would not be appropriate. You can't let personal feelings get in the way when you're in a combat situation. It's distracting and dangerous. Besides, she probably has someone back home waiting for her. Someone tall and blonde with small, round ears._

Dax sighed again and stood up and started walking away. "I'm going to bed," He said over his shoulder. "Good night."

"Good night," She said, puzzled. _Did I say something wrong?_


	7. Chapter 7: Dwarves and Elves

**Author's mumblings:** I used much of the Dwarves' dialogue from the game because it amused me. The Elves, however, I will write on my own to make them rude. Because Elves are so popular, right now, I thought it would be interesting to show them as flawed and opinionated as humans. Also, I am cutting Matoya out of the storyline. I just never liked her and I found it to be a huge pain in the ass bringing the ungrateful hag her "eyes" back. My story, my choice. I've made up for it by throwing a plot twist into this chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. Hurray!**

*************************************************************

As Mace had feared, the canal was not finished. Cursing his bad luck, they anchored their ship in an abandoned port a day's journey from the Dwarf Cave. Dax led the way, as he was intimately familiar with the terrain.

There were Ogres in the area. Aura was terrified, but did not complain. Both Mace and Dax admired her very much for this. Edan, as usual, was unreadable. Dax did everything he could to avoid contact with the enemy, but they were forced to battle an Ogre on the last leg of the journey, literally within sight of the Dwarf Cave. Dax found himself guarding Aura during the battle, against his better judgment, and received some bruised ribs for his efforts.

The cave appeared to be just a hole in the hillside. Aura doubted she would have even seen it, if Dax had not guided them to it. She found it odd that there were no guards, but soon discovered why. Dax marched fearlessly into the dark hole, without even so much as calling out a _hello_, first. Aura and the others followed him, gingerly feeling their way in. A few twists and turns down the tunnel later, all light ceased to be. Aura had never been afraid of the dark, but this was a darkness she had never encountered, before. It was so complete, it was almost a physical presence. She became acutely aware of every sound around her, especially her own breathing. It was unnerving.

A sudden noise startled her, and an instant later, she realized Dax had struck flint against his sword to light a torch fixed to the wall. In the sudden light, she could see many torches around them. Mace quickly got another and lit it from the first.

"The main living area is just ahead," Dax told them. "Maybe half a kilometer."

_Half a kilometer? Is he serious?_ Aura came up to Dax and grabbed his sleeve. He looked down at her hand curiously.

"In case the torch goes out," She explained.

He smiled. "Don't worry. I lived down here for years. I can find my way in the dark as well as any Dwarf." He could see his words were not comforting her, so he added, "Just stick close to me."

She nodded and gathered more fabric from his sleeve in her hand, gripping it. She could feel it already getting damp from sweat. Dax nodded to the others and resumed walking. They followed.

Aura was not sure where the natural cave stopped and the one the Dwarves had carved began. Perhaps it was _all _carved out of the hillside. About ten minutes after entering the cave, they came to a set of carved stone stairs leading downward. Not long after that, they came to another set, leading down and sharply to the right. At the bottom of those stairs, the cave suddenly opened up into a huge vaulted room. Aura was so awed, it took her a moment to realize that they were surrounded by Dwarves. They were short, squat people that moved around on stumpy little legs. Even with their pointy hats, most of them only came to Aura's waist. They almost seemed to be unaware of their visitors.

"Hello," She said to the nearest one.

"The earth is slowly rotting from the west," He said softly. He never stopped walking.

_What?_ She looked up at Dax, confused.

"You'll get used to it," He said, laughing.

Mace decided to try. He flagged down another Dwarf as it walked by and said, "Excuse me, we are looking for Nerrick."

"Got a torch, eh?" The Dwarf scratched his chin. "Dwarves can see in the dark!" He grinned at them and walked away.

"Well, they seem… uh, interesting," Aura said slowly.

"They just have _very _different social skills," Dax said with a shrug. "They don't really understand the human concept of small talk. Oh! There's Smith. He's their blacksmith. Hey, Smithy!" He called.

A Dwarf waddled over to them, chuckling to himself. His face was smudged with more dirt than the others. "You're late. All of you."

_Were they expecting us?_ Aura puzzled.

"I've joined them on a quest to save the world," Dax told him, gesturing to the others. "We are the Light Warriors."

Smith appeared unsurprised by the news. "For the Light Warriors, I will make a truly legendary sword. However, my supply of Adamant is exhausted."

"We shall bring you some," Dax told him. Smith nodded and walked off. Aura wasn't sure whether they were being serious or not.

Mace was losing patience, fast. "Where is Nerrick?"

A female Dwarf walking nearby overheard him and stopped. "That sound? Nerrick is building a canal."

"Hurray!" Said another.

_I don't hear anything, _Aura thought. Mace rubbed his forehead as if it were hurting.

"I think it's this way," Dax said. He guided them down yet another long corridor. Finally, they found a lone Dwarf slumped against the wall, snoring softly.

"Nerrick," Dax said loudly.

The Dwarf stopped snoring and opened his eyes. "A rock blocks construction of my canal."

"That's a shame," Dax said. "Can we help?"

The Dwarf got to his feet and wandered away, muttering, "If only I had some TNT."

"TNT? What's that?" Aura asked.

"A package full of highly explosive material," Dax said disappointedly. "The only people I know of who can make it is the Elves."

Edan closed his eyes briefly. _Damn._

******************************************************************

The land of Elves lay due south of Coneria, on the other side of the Aldi Sea. It was a beautiful and densely wooded area that protected the Elves from outsiders. The had not counted on evil coming from within. 400 years ago, shortly after a peace treaty was signed with Coneria, Elfland was plunged into a civil war. The Elves had not been very good at dealing with outsiders, before, but now they were all but cut off from the world. Mace was not even sure where the Castle of Elf was.

"Do you know anything about them, Edan?" Mace asked as they sailed.

"Perhaps you should ask the half-elf," He suggested.

Mace turned to Dax, who was smiling in a somewhat unfriendly way at Edan.

"I'm afraid I don't know very much," Dax said after a moment. "I was born there, but my family was banished soon after. My father never spoke much about his people, and he died when I was still young."

"I'm sorry," Aura said.

Dax didn't look at her. "All I know is that the fighting is between the 'True Elves,' and the 'Dark Elves.' I'm not sure what the difference is, really. As far as I know, the ruler of Elfland is still King Alary, one of the 'True Elves'."

"That's not the same King Alary who signed the Coneria Treaty four hundred years ago, is it?" Aura asked.

"You know your history," Dax nodded. "Very good. Yes, Alary was old, back then, but four hundred years is not all that long for an Elf. He's probably still alive."

"How old are you?" Mace asked curiously.

"Thirty nine," Dax said.

"Wow," Aura said. "I mean - you don't look it, at all. I would have guessed twenty, maybe twenty five. How long will you live?"

"No one knows," Dax said with a touch of sadness. "Half-Elves are rare. As far as I know, I'm the only one, right now."

"That sounds terribly lonely," She said.

Dax didn't respond. He was quiet for the rest of the night.

The next morning, their ship was attacked by half human, half fish-like creatures. The nimble beasts leapt out of the water and onto the deck, biting and clawing before the Light Warriors could even get their weapons ready. One of them clamped onto Mace's hand and he wrestled with it. Edan chanted a spell and fried another one with a thunderbolt. The others quickly jumped back into the water, hooting at them. To Aura, it sounded like laughter.

"What in the world were those things?" Mace gasped, gripping his wounded hand. Aura quickly came to his aid with a healing potion.

"Sahags, I think," Dax said. "I've heard stories of them, but I've never seen one."

"I have been traveling for most of my life," Edan said softly. "And I have never seen anything like those, before. It seems as though every legendary monster from the past is coming back, and all those who were normal animals have gone mad. Have you seen the sharks that follow us?"

_Sharks?_ Aura walked over to the railing and peered at the water. It took a moment to see them, but once she did, she wished she hadn't. They were as large as men and swam more effortlessly than birds could fly, flanking the ship. One of them lifted its head out of the water and thrashed, pure muscle with endless teeth.

Dax grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the railing suddenly, startling her. "Stay away from there, for now. We don't know when the next attack might come."

She nodded, her face burning. _That was a stupid thing to do._

The next day, the sky was gray and the waves were choppy. Mace watched the sky constantly, frowning, but Aura did not mind as long as it kept the sea monsters away. She spent most of the morning watching Dax and Mace tend to the rigging and sails and staring at the horizon, looking for any signs of land. Later that afternoon, she got her first glimpse of the forested Elfland.

*******************************************************************

They found the seaport easily enough, but once on land, Dax became uncertain, looking one way, then the other. Aura checked the maps she'd found in the cabin again, but they did not show the Land of Elves; just the coastline.

"What do we do, Dax?" Mace asked. "You said you could guide us there."

"We could head back to Pravoka," Aura suggested. "Maybe someone there has a map or something."

"No, no," Dax moaned in frustration. "I'm almost certain it's due south of us."

"Dax, I have no desire to get lost in these woods," Mace said quietly. "We will just have to go back to Pravoka, or perhaps Coneria, and find someone who can help us."

Edan, who had been crouching in the sand nearby listening to them, stood up suddenly. "I will lead the way."

Mace gave him a suspicious look. "You know this area?"

"Yes," Edan said simply. No one else said anything, so he began walking. The others quickly gathered their weapons and supplies and followed.

_Why did he not says something earlier_? Mace wondered. _I have never trusted him._

Several hours later, they came to a large clearing in the woods. It appeared that this land had once been used for farming, but it had become overrun fairly recently. They soon found out why: wolves, giant spiders and snakes were everywhere. Like the beasts in Coneria and elsewhere, they had become unusually aggressive.

At last, they reached the town that encircled the castle. The Elves noticed the strangers right away and stared at them, making Aura feel uncomfortable.

Mace tried speaking to one of them. "Excuse me, sir. Could you please tell us where we could purchase some TNT?" The Elf stared at him coldly and did not respond. Mace turned around and addressed Dax. "Do you speak their language?"

"He understands you perfectly," Dax said dryly. "He refuses to speak to you because you are in my company."

"Why? What have you done?" Aura asked.

"Although it's not obvious to most humans, any Elf can tell just by looking at me that I'm half human," Dax explained. "I'm an abomination. That's why my parents and I were forced to leave Elfland when I was born."

Aura was speechless. She turned to the Elf, searching for some sign that this was not true. The Elf stared back, unmoved.

Dax's expression changed, as though he remembered something, and he walked toward the inn. "I'm going to go look for something. See if they get any friendlier when I'm gone," He suggested.

Behind the inn, he found a path through the trees and bushes that wound in a semi-circle. There, he found three headstones. The one on the left was small, but obviously well taken care of. It said simply "Here lies Erdrick, 837 - 866, R.I.P." Dax bent down and wiped an imaginary smudge from the words, feeling the texture of the marble.

"Hello," He said to the grave. Behind him, he heard the grass move under someone's feet. He turned his head and saw Aura coming over to him. Behind her, two small Elf children peered at him from behind a bush, whispering and giggling.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"Of course," He said.

"This must be so difficult for you," She went on, shaking her head. "I don't understand any of this. It's so strange." Her eyes fell upon the tombstone. "Who is Erdrick?"

"A local hero," Dax said. "He saved King Alary, at the cost of his own life, from an assassination attempt. An amazing accomplishment for someone so young," He paused, hesitating. "He was my half brother."

Aura looked at him, surprised, but waited patiently for him to continue.

"I'm afraid my family scandal goes a little deeper than simple racial barriers," He said with a wry smile. "My father was already married when he met my mother."

"Oh," Was all she could think of to say.

They heard footsteps and turned around. Mace and Edan came over to them. Mace looked as though he would snap at any moment.

"They suggest we go to the castle," Mace said. "Come on."

Aura and Dax followed him. As they walked past the bush with the two Elf children, Aura heard one of them say the word "half-breed." She was sure Dax heard it, too, but he showed no indication of it. For some reason, she felt ashamed.

At the castle gate, two armed guards blocked their path.

"You are not welcome, here," One of them said contemptuously.

"Now, see here," Mace said, his voice growing tight. "I have had enough of this nonsense. I am a citizen of Coneria, and according to paragraph three, subparagraph two, line six of the Coneria Treaty I am entitled to a hearing with the King."

"Not _you_," The guard said as though Mace were an idiot. "_Him_."

To Mace's surprise, he was not pointing at Dax, but at Edan. "Edan? Why?"

"Because he's one of the Dark Elves," Dax explained. "Aren't you, Edan?"

Edan removed the hat and hood that had shielded his face for as long as the other Light Warriors had known him. He was, indeed, an elf. A very young one; scarcely older than the ones who had laughed at Dax in the village.


	8. Chapter 8: What Heroes Do

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy in any way, shape, or form. I merely use it as a channel for the voices in my head, and they ask that you do not sue us.**

**************************************************************

"I do not care what he was to you," Mace said firmly. "Edan is one of us. He is a Light Warrior, and that is all that matters, now."

Dax looked at him in surprise. He did not expect such a statement to come from their self-proclaimed leader. If Edan was surprised, as well, he did a much better job at hiding it.

"If he will not wait outside, then none of you may enter," The guard told them.

Mace opened his mouth to speak again, but a voice interrupted: "Wait."

The Light Warriors turned around. Behind them, a female elf stood with a basket of goods. Dax wondered how long she had been standing there. She stepped forward slowly, examining each of the Light Warriors' faces carefully. Her eyes lingered on both Edan and Dax, but her expression did not reveal her thoughts.

"If you are the Light Warriors," She said finally. "You must have proof."

Dax quietly pulled out the Orb of Power from his pocket and showed it to her. The others followed suit.

"Come with me," the elf woman said. She walked through the gate. The guards stood aside for her and said nothing. They did not even acknowledge the Light Warriors as they followed her. It was as if the confrontation had never happened. Dax walked last in line, right behind Edan, and watched the young elf as he carefully pulled his hood and hat on to cover his face, again.

The Light Warriors followed the elf woman through a series of corridors to a room on the first floor. Another set of guards stood watch by the door, but remained motionless as she pushed the door open and motions the others to follow her inside. Inside, a young male elf lay in an exquisite, padded bed with silk sheets. He could not have been much older than Edan. He appeared to be sleeping.

"This is Alfred, the Prince of Elfland," the woman told them.

"Where is King Alary?" Mace asked her.

"Dead," she replied, nodding to the sleeping prince. "Alfred is the last in line to the throne, and Astos has seen to it that the line ends with him. Five years ago, Astos and his men attacked us by surprise and put a spell on the prince. He has been asleep ever since then."

"The Prince has been sleeping for _five years_?" Aura said incredulously.

"Yes," the woman nodded sadly. She placed the basket down on the floor and took the empty chair by the prince. "We have had our best physicians and wizards examine him, but to no avail. Only Astos knows what will cure him."

Aura came to the young Alfred's side and took his hand. She closed her eyes briefly, and Dax could see sweat bead instantly on her forehead.

"I've never encountered so powerful a spell," Aura said at last, releasing the prince's hand. Edan made no move to examine him for himself. He hovered in the back of the room, trying to blend in with the shadows.

"What is your name?" Mace asked the female elf.

"I am Sarila, the caretaker of Prince Alfred," she said softly. "I do not leave his side, except to get medicine and seek help in the village. I had just about given up hope that you would come. I thought that, perhaps, Lukahn was mistaken…." she trailed off.

"Lukahn told you of us?" Dax asked.

"Yes," Sarila nodded. "Years ago, he came here and made a series of predictions. He warned of the upcoming civil war between elf factions, and the death of King Alary, and the curse that would befall his son. We did not believe him." She lifted her head and gazed at them with sorrowful eyes. "He also foretold of you, the Light Warriors. He said that you would come seeking our help, and that, in turn, you would help us. Is it true?"

Mace looked at Dax. He could tell what the young squire was thinking, because he was thinking the same: _something does not feel right_. But, she was correct. They did need her help.

"We require TNT," Mace said at last. "We need it to finish the canal to the Western Ocean, so that we might rescue the town of Melmond from…" he paused. "We are not quite sure what is there, actually."

"The source of the Earth's rot is near Melmond," Sarila nodded sagely. "Elfland has been carefully monitoring the ills of the world. We are just as worried as everyone else." She stood and took a step towards Mace. She took his hand and brought it up to her face, making him tense. "We will give you all the TNT you need if you find Astos and get the cure from him."

Mace looked uncomfortable, but did not move. Dax wondered if the young man was a virgin, and decided from his reaction that he most likely was.

"And how do you propose we get this cure from Astos?" Dax asked her, making no attempt to hide the doubt from his voice.

She leveled her gaze at him. "By any means necessary, of course."

"What about Edan?" Aura asked quietly.

They all turned to the Dark Elf. He seemed so small in his oversized hat and cloak, as if he were trying to disappear from their prying eyes.

"I am a Light Warrior," He said. "I will do what is necessary to fulfill my destiny and restore Light to the Orbs."

**************************************************************

The Elves had no idea where Astos was, but Edan seemed certain that he would be lurking in the ruins of an old castle far to the northwest. The Light Warriors gathered supplies and headed for Astos' lair. The forests of Elfland seemed endless, and were thicker than anything Mace had encountered. He had no choice but to follow Edan and hope that the young mage knew where he was going.

"This isn't right," Dax said. "We don't belong in other peoples' politics. We have our own problems to worry about."

"We do not have much of a choice," Mace reminded him. "The elves asked us for help. We must do what we can for them."

"Why?" Dax demanded. "Because of the TNT?"

"No," Mace looked at him. "Because that is what heroes do."

Dax wished he could believe him, but he didn't feel like a hero, and something about Mace's tone of voice rang false, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as the others.

The forests were full of Ogres, as well as snakes and wolves that seemed driven to madness by some unknown source. Aura was exhausted with fear and tension, unable to sleep at night for fear of some creature attacking them. One afternoon as they stopped to eat, Dax could see that Aura was fighting back tears of frustration. Wordlessly, he sat down beside her and pulled her to his shoulder. She sobbed quietly for a moment, then fell asleep against him. When Mace saw what had happened, he quietly suggested that they camp early that night, and began setting up the tents. Aura didn't even stir when Dax picked her up later to put her to bed. He tucked her in, then noticed she still clung to his cape and had to gently pry her fingers off. When Dax came out of the tent, Mace was giving him a knowing look that nearly made him blush.

_Perhaps he's not a virgin, after all,_ Dax thought.

Early the next morning, they set out again, refreshed. By midday, the terrain became rougher as they found themselves climbing up a very steep hill.

"It isn't far, now," Edan told them. He'd barely said a word since leaving the Castle of Elf. Aura wondered how he felt about going to face his former master, and possibly kill him, but she did not know how to talk to him about it. She decided it was probably best if she didn't.

Astos' hiding place came into view a couple of hours later. The Northwest Castle was in worse shape than the Temple of Fiends. The walls were crumbling and many of the upper floors were clearly inaccessible. Mace couldn't help but wonder if the whole structure might come down on top of them while they were inside.

"What a dump," Dax said aloud for the others. "Are you sure he's in there?"

"Yes. There are many places he could hide, but Astos refuses to stay anywhere else but here," Edan said.

Mace noticed some bones on the ground nearby and went to investigate. They were definitely humanoid. Several had clearly been chewed open by powerful jaws to get to the marrow within. _Something larger than a wolf_, he thought. _A bear, perhaps?_

"Why?" Dax asked.

"Nearly two thousand years ago, Elfland was much larger and ruled by several members of the royal family," Edan explained. "The Northwest Castle was the home of the youngest of three brothers, the last set of multiple kings to rule Elfland. The brothers became greedy for one another's land, and civil war erupted. Many people died, and the kingdom collapsed into the small territory that exists, today. The Northwest Castle is the last of the castles from the Old Kingdom and, as you can see, it has wasted away over the centuries."

Mace found other bones. A lot of them. They were in an awfully neat pile. He did not think bears were so organized.

"What does that have to do with Astos?" Aura asked.

Before Edan could answer, a large gust of wind buffeted them. It seemed to be coming from the castle, and a voice seemed to be carried on it.

"_This castle is mine…"_

Mace squinted into the wind, trying to see if he could find the source of the voice, but the old castle remained dark and secretive. The wind blew again, harder this time, and ice cold.

"… _Edan…"_

Edan shivered. He did not want to face what was inside, but he knew it was inevitable. He had to face his destiny.

Instead of hearing Edan's name called, Mace heard his own. Aura and Dax also heard their own names howled on the wind and no one else's. All three of them wondered the same thing: _how does he know my name?_

"_You will all die here…"_

"Enough of this," Dax said out loud. "I'll not be intimidated by this coward who lurks in shadows and plays tricks with my mind." He drew his sword from its sheath and took a step towards the castle ruins. "I'm going in."

Dax did not look back to see if the others followed. He doubted he would have stopped if they hadn't, but fortunately, they found their bravery and followed him inside. Once inside, a door opened on its own in front of him and Dax went through it. Two more doors did the same. It occurred to Dax that he might be walking straight into a trap, but he didn't care. Something about Astos had made him angry, something that had been boiling just under the surface of his thoughts for his entire life, and he was determined to take out that anger on the Dark Elf. His hate for Astos at that moment was greater than his hate for himself.

In the third room they entered, the Light Warriors made a ghastly discovery. Everywhere on the floor were piles and piles of bones. Edan felt a chill. He'd been wondering where all the other Dark Elves were. _Could they all be dead?_

Aura picked up one of the skulls and noticed teeth marks on it. Something had gnawed the flesh off of it. She dropped the skull on the floor, feeling ill.

"Astos!" Dax yelled. "Show yourself."

The last set of doors blew open, and from it emerged an enormous, green, hulking figure. The beast walked on two short legs and supported its upper body on two massive arms like an ape, but it was unlike any beast any of them had seen before.

"_I've been waiting for you, Light Warriors," _it said, despite the fact that its deformed mouth never moved. _"Especially Edan and Dax. How does it feel to betray your own kind?"_

"Astos?" Edan said uncertainly. "What… happened to you?"

"_I've been given great power," _The thing that was once Astos said, making a vicious face that bared many sharp teeth at them. Dax wondered if it was a smile. _"I no longer have a need to fight petty Elf battles and seek the petty throne I am entitled to. I have moved beyond that, to greater things. I will be rewarded for my loyalty."_

"Listen, if you don't need to conquer Elfland anymore, just hand over the cure we need to save Prince Alfred," Dax suggested. "We will gladly leave you be."

"_Not conquer, _reclaim_," _Astos corrected him. _"The throne is mine! It belongs to my bloodline, not that impostor Alary and his weak-blooded son, Alfred."_

"What is he talking about?" Mace whispered to Edan.

"_It no longer matters," _Astos snapped before the younger Dark Elf could answer_. "Nothing matters. The Fiends are rising to power, and I have sworn to be their knight and defender. Give me the Orbs of Power, and I will spare your lives."_

"You know we can not do that," Mace said firmly, adjusting the grip on his sword. "We are sworn to restore the Orbs. We oppose the Fiends."

"_So be it," _Astos said, and raised one meaty paw_. "I am hungry."_

He snapped his fingers and the four Light Warriors were thrown backwards. Dax flew into a pile of bones which collapsed on top of him. Edan hit the wall with his back and collapsed on the floor, the wind knocked out of him. When the stars cleared from his head, Edan realized he could not see. Astos had stolen his sight.

Aura got up a few feet away from him, also dazed. The huge green thing that had once been Astos advanced on her and she trembled in fear.

"Here, Astos!" Mace yelled as he got up from the floor with his sword raised. "Come at me, monster!"

Astos grinned and ran at him with inhuman speed. Aura screamed. Dax emerged from the pile of bones just in time to see Astos swipe his huge paw at Mace. The young squire dropped to his knees, clutching at his throat with a confused look on her face. Blood ran between his fingers and began to puddle on the floor. Astos raised his claws to his mouth and licked the blood from his fingers.

"_Delicious," He said greedily._

Enraged, Dax leaped out with his sword held high and attacked Astos' flank. The beast fought back, but Dax was fast and dodged his blows. Nearby, Edan got slowly to his feet, blinking heavily. He still could not see anything, but he could hear the sounds of combat and knew his allies needed him.

_I do not need to see you to fight you, Astos_, Edan thought. His eyes rolled back into his head as he concentrated, chanting the most powerful spell he knew. Abruptly, all of the warmth from the room was drained. Astos and Dax were so charged on adrenaline that they did not feel it, but they suddenly noticed that they could see each others' breath clouding in front of their faces. The two combatants paused and turned to Edan, just in time to see the young Dark Elf raise his arms to the sky and produce the energy he had drained from the room. A fireball as large as a horse appeared above his head and flew at Astos, narrowly missing Dax. The elder Dark Elf didn't even have time to raise his arms to protect his face. The inferno engulfed him and he roared in pain, his green skin bubbling and blistering in the heat. Astos collapsed. The flames burned themselves out, leaving the smoldering remains behind. But the elder Dark Elf was not dead: Astos writhed on the cold stone ground, whimpering. Edan went to him and looked down. He could not see the dying creature, but could hear its raspy breath.

"_The bloodline dies with me,"_ Astos said mournfully. _"I have no heirs… Alary has succeeded, after all."_

"I'm sorry," Edan whispered. "I've failed you, Your Highness."

"_You… would have ended up like the rest… consumed," _The blackened creature twitched in pain suddenly. _"Edan, I don't have much time left. Listen closely to me…"_

Edan stood over the body of Astos, nodding to himself. Dax could not hear anything. He went to Aura, who was cradling Mace in her arms. She was covered in his blood. There was so much blood, Dax knew the answer, but asked, anyway. "How is he?"

Aura looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "He's dead."


	9. Chapter 9: What Heroes Do, Part 2

**Author's Mumblings: **In case you hadn't noticed, I've painted Astos in a slightly more sympathetic light. In the video game, he's evil, you go kick his ass, the Prince awakens and thanks you, and all the Elves are happy. I thought that was a little boring. What if Astos was not the bad guy, originally, but _became _one in trying to reclaim everything that had been taken from him? Gives everyone a lot more depth, doesn't it?

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is not owned by me, but some changes made to characters and plot are a result of my creative liberties. In case you don't feel like looking it up, "creative liberties" basically means I took someone else's idea and changed it to the way I like it. (This is why movies are frequently nothing like the novels they were based on.) If you don't like the changes I've made, feel free to yell at me instead of SquareSoft.  
**

**********************************************************************

Aura washed the blood off of her hands with water from her canteen, carefully drying them off on a clean part of her robes before digging through her pack. She emerged with a small lantern, which she whispered an incantation to. Magically, it lit on its own, glowing faintly blue.

"Look straight ahead," she told Edan. He did as he was told, and she held the magic lantern up to his eyes. Slowly, the darkness drained from them and his sight was restored. Edan rubbed his eyes and looked at her. Aura blew the flame out and stashed the lantern away.

Dax paced near Mace's body, his sword still in his hand.

"Stupid child," he muttered to the corpse. "Stupid, arrogant child."

"Dax," Aura said, walking up to him tentatively. "There is still a chance we can save him. The Elf healers are rumored to be the best in the world. They might be able to revive him, if we can get him back in time."

"How much time?" he asked.

"I do not know," she stammered. "A day or two?"

"A day or two?" he repeated. "It took us over a week to get here!"

Aura started to cry, but Dax was too distraught to care. He took his hat off and ran his fingers through his silver hair, muttering to himself, "I can't do this."

"Dax, you must pull yourself together," Edan said quietly. "We need you to tell us what to do."

"Why me? I'm not your leader," Dax snapped. "I don't even belong here! My Orb was stolen from a corpse's pocket. It isn't mine. I'm not a Light Warrior. I'm nothing. I'm just a stupid half-breed who doesn't belong _anywhere_."

Edan just gazed at him, his eyes twinkling faintly from the shadows under his broad brimmed hat. Aura sniffled, wiping tears away. Dax looked away from them, at their fallen comrade.

"Is there any way to preserve the body?" He asked suddenly.

"We haven't anything to preserve him with," Edan told him. "There would not be any wine barrels here. Elves do not drink."

"There is no way we could carry a barrel back, anyway," Aura added. "We don't have any horses."

"No," Dax said. "We're forgetting something."

"What?" She asked.

"I don't know. Think! What are we missing?"

The three were silent.

"I could freeze him," Edan said. "I would have to recast the spell every hour or so, but it might work. Carrying a body is much easier than carrying a barrel full of a pickled body."

Aura looked ill, but they didn't notice.

"Do it," Dax ordered. "I will carry him."

************************************************************

The pace back to the Castle of Elf was grueling. The Light Warriors scarcely stopped to eat or sleep, traveling well into the night and leaving before daybreak. When the terrain allowed them to, they jogged. They ran from all battles, not wanting to be held up in combat while Mace thawed and was lost forever. On the second day, Dax found that he could cast the ice spell as easily as Edan. Nobody seemed surprised.

Aura lost all track of time, but Dax counted every hour diligently, reminding Edan when to refreeze the body. Dax carried Mace wrapped in a thick blanket to keep from harming himself on the frosty flesh, but the weight wore on him. Everything ached, but he refused to rest for longer than he had to or to let the others carry his burden. He doubted that they could; both Aura and Edan were half his size.

When the spires of the Castle of Elf came into view among the tree tops, Dax broke into a run, leaving the others behind. He ran through the last bit of forest, expertly dodging a poisonous asp that dropped down from the branches. He ran straight into the village, oblivious to the stares of the Elves around him, and into the nearest White Magic shop. Inside, an elderly Elf male in White Wizard robes regarded him calmly as Dax dropped the frozen body heavily to the ground.

"I need you to do everything within your power to revive this man," Dax told him. "And I don't care what it costs."

"Very well," The Elf White Wizard said. He peeled back the blanket and examined the young squire tucked inside. "Hm. You've frozen him. That's very clever. I don't know if I can fix him, though."

"_Try_."

The old White Wizard gave him an irritated wave. "You may leave, now."

Dax blinked. "Excuse me?"

"This will take some time," The Wizard explained. "I must concentrate. Go, now, and let me do my work in peace."

Nonplussed, Dax walked outside without another word. The door swung shut behind him with a hollow clatter. At the village entrance, he could see Edan and Aura arriving. He felt the need to apologize to them for leaving them in the woods, but the words would not come to him.

"What did he say?" Aura asked.

"He said he would try," Dax said, dazed.

"Light Warriors," A voice said. The turned around to see a middle aged female Elf approaching them cautiously. "I've been given instructions by Sarila to accommodate you. Please come to the inn when you are ready to rest and clean up."

As she said the words "clean up", she wrinkled her nose at Aura's robes, which were still brown and stiff with Mace's dried blood. Aura looked down at herself as though she hadn't noticed the stain, before. So much had happened, she'd almost managed to forget it. Now she wanted to rip her clothes off and burn them.

"We all need rest," Edan observed. "There is nothing more we can do for Mace. Let us go tend to our own needs."

Reluctantly, Aura and Dax followed the inn keeper. They were so tired, they did not notice Edan hanging behind. Edan waited until they were out of sight, then began searching the ground for something.

"What'cha lookin' for?" A voice chirped. Edan turned around and found a very small Elf child watching him.

"A plant," he told her. "It's called a 'dandelion'. It has a yellow blossom on it. Have you seen it?"

The little girl nodded and pranced away. He ran after her, surprised that one so small could run so fast. She guided him to a yard between two small cottages. There were several dandelions growing here. A few had already traded their sunny blossoms for round balls of fluff. He ignored these and focused on the ones with blossoms. The child squatted next to him, blowing at one of the fluffy ones and giggling as the seeds sailed away on tiny white umbrellas.

"Mama says they're weeds," the little girl told him. "And my brother told me they're poisonous."

"They're not poisonous," Edan said distractedly, carefully choosing which leaves to harvest. "Humans make them into dandelion wine."

"What's wine?" The girl asked.

Edan paused to consider this question. "Actually, it's a kind of poison."

The child nodded solemnly. "Told you so."

"Lila, come here," A woman rushed over and grabbed the little girl's hand, pulling her away from Edan. "Don't talk to that man. He's one of the Dark Elves."

"What's a Dark Elf?" The child asked innocently.

Edan did not hear the reply. _One of the Dark Elves? It would seem I'm the only one left._

Suddenly, Edan felt very lonely.

************************************************************************

When Edan got to the castle, the guard motioned him in without a fight. Sarila was waiting for him in Prince Alfred's bedchamber. Edan handed her the leaves. She frowned at them, then recognition spread on her face and she let out a mirthless chuckle.

"Of course. We should have known it would be something so simple. He wanted it to be right under our noses so he could laugh at us," She said, then frowned at the young Dark Elf. "But I had heard your mission was a failure. I heard your leader was killed."

"We have no leader," Edan told her. "We cooperate with one another."

She blinked slowly. "How fortunate for you. How do I know this is the cure and not some trick?"

"I do not even know for certain," Edan admitted. "It was what Astos told me with his dying breath."

Her expression didn't change, but her hard eyes looked… hungrier. "He is dead, then?"

"Yes. They all are, except for me."

A smile spread across her face. "You've done well, Edan. You have redeemed yourself."

"I did not do it for you."

"Do not speak so soon," she said, taking the leaves to a table with her other medical supplies to prepare them. "You may some day grow tired of adventures with your strange _cooperative _group. Perhaps you'll wish to come home."

"I have no home."

"You have done us a great service that will not be forgotten," she went on as though she hadn't heard him, chopping the leaves up very fine on a cutting board. "You are a hero."

"I've betrayed the rightful King of Elfland and handed his head on a silver platter over to the traitors who banished him," Edan spat. "That is not what heroes do."

She finished mincing the leaves and swept them into a small bowl. She added a few drops of liquid from one vial, then from another. "Astos might have been the last of the multiple kings, but we all know he was unstable and would have driven this country further into the ground than it already has been. With Prince Alfred in control, peace and prosperity can be restored, at last."

Sarila stirred the contents of the bowl with a tiny spoon, pausing to sniff it. She made a face and added a pinch of yellow powder from another bowl. Edan watched her silently, trying not to think about anything. She noticed his gaze and smiled at him.

"Try not to despair, young one," she said in a sympathetic tone that made him ill. "It's all over, now."

Edan watched as she gently pried open the sleeping Prince's mouth and spooned a small amount of the concoction under his tongue. He tried to hate Prince Alfred, but found that he couldn't. All of the hate was used up, and now he could feel nothing but sorry for this poor young man. Alfred had no idea what his father and his people had done, had no idea that he had been manipulated from birth to believe that he was of a royal bloodline. He was being used, just as the Light Warriors had been.

The Prince let out a long sigh and opened his eyes.

**************************************************************

"He's alive," Edan said.

Aura and Dax had been eating together at a small table at the inn. They both jumped up so quickly they nearly took the table with them as they rushed out of the building and across the village to the White Magic shop. Edan did not follow, but went to the room that had been prepared for him on Sarila's orders. He stripped down to his underwear, crawled under the blankets and, finally, slept.

Dax and Aura burst into the room to see Mace sitting up, a thick bandage wrapped around his neck like a winter scarf. He smiled and mouthed the word _hi _to them, unable to speak. Aura threw herself at him and cried, her face buried in his chest.

"I didn't know how I was going to explain to your mother," Aura wailed. She said something else, but Dax could not make out what it was.

"Shh," Mace shushed her, holding her close.

Dax stood in the doorway trying to sort through the kaleidoscope of emotions swirling within. He felt bewildered, awed, relieved and a nagging sense of jealousy as he watched Mace stroke her beautiful hair. He thought back to the Northwest Castle when Aura had cried and he had failed to comfort her. He now deeply regretted that decision and wondered if she would ever really forgive him for being so cold to her.

_Don't be silly, _he admonished himself. _She never felt that way about you._

Aloud, Dax said, "It's great to see you, again, Mace."

_Thank you_, Mace mouthed to him.

"Can you speak?" Dax asked. "I mean, will you be able to, later?"

_I don't know_.

Dax chewed on that for a moment, then announced "I'm going to go check on Edan."

Aura sat up, wiping tears on her sleeve. She was wearing a white tunic with no hood and her long red hair spilled across her shoulders and back. Mace plucked at one of the curly strands playfully.

"I have to get a new robe, again," she said sheepishly.

Mace smiled, then did something he had not done since they were children: He made a big show of taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. Aura smiled, remembering the game, and pretended to swoon. They giggled silently, like children with a secret.

***************************************************************

Outside of the small magic shop, Dax encountered the Elf White Wizard, smoking a pipe. This surprised him, as Elves prided themselves on abstaining from human vices, such as alcohol and tobacco. Smoking in public was a very risky thing to do, and it showed that the Wizard had a high social status, since he did it without fear of judgement. The Wizard offered the pipe to Dax, but he shook his head at the old man.

"Your mother got me into this dirty habit," The Wizard explained, puffing on the pipe and staring at some distant memory. "Humans are susceptible to vices, and I can see why. I do so love tobacco."

Dad blinked, unsure of what to say. He waited.

"Something wrong?" The Wizard turned to him again, gesturing with the pipe. "You _are _Lexander's son, aren't you?"

Dax nodded.

The Wizard nodded, too. "I thought so, especially after I saw you looking at Erdrick's grave. I am your grandfather. My name is Galen."

Dax's chest felt tight. He looked away from the old Wizard and spotted the same children who had mocked him, before. They were hiding behind a nearby house, watching them and giggling.

"There are many here who still believe that banishing your parents was the right thing to do," The Wizard went on. "I was once one of them, but I miss my son. I didn't realize this until after I received word of his death. Death has a funny way of changing your perspective on things."

The Wizard came towards him suddenly and gripped Dax's face with one hand, scrutinizing him closely. The pipe smoke made Dax's eyes water, but he didn't move.

"You look more like your father, but you sure _smell _like a human," the Wizard Galen announced. Dax wondered how he could smell anything over the pungent tobacco smoke. "Do you know why humans have such a hard time learning Black Magic and Elves have so much trouble learning White Magic?"

Dax shook his head.

"They say it's something in our blood," The Wizard Galen told him. "Not everyone believes it, but I sure as hell do. It took me nearly six hundred years to master White Magic. That's something like twelve generations to the humans, maybe more. But that's why Elf healers are the best in the world: they have to work their asses off to prove it. Ha!" The old man cackled and finally released Dax's face. "Some humans have a natural talent for magic, but there aren't a lot of them that can learn the Black spells. I don't believe any have ever managed to master it. They just don't live long enough. Your father was a Black Mage when he lived here, and your mother was a White Mage. Did they ever tell you that?"

Dax shook his head wordlessly.

The old man plucked at Dax's red cape and hat, puffing his pipe again, thoughtfully. "We often speculated on what would happen, mixing the blood, like that. I thought it might create a new kind of Mage. Someone who could learn both without any trouble."

_What are you saying, old man?_ Dax wondered. _That I was an experiment? Or just a side effect?_

The White Wizard tapped the last of the ashes out of his pipe. "Well, I have a patient to tend to. I'll see you later, Red Mage."

_Red Mage? Is there such a thing?  
_

Dax stood in the same spot for a moment longer after the old man had left, trying to absorb what he had heard. He reached up and rubbed his cheek where the old man had squeezed it. Nearby, he could hear the children laughing at him.

"Ugly half-breed!"

********************************************************************

Aura and Dax slept at the inn with Edan while Mace spent the night under the care of the White Wizard. Dax didn't tell anyone about his conversation with the Wizard, and Edan didn't tell anyone about his conversation with Sarila. By morning, they both felt a heaviness in their chest that comes from knowing something terrible. Edan was the first to break. During breakfast, he confessed to his comrades. Dax was not terribly surprised that the Elves would do such a thing, given his own experiences with them, but Aura was shocked and outraged.

"They _used _us!" She banged her fist on the table, making their dishes bounce. "I can't believe it. How could they do such a thing? All this time, they acted like victims, while Astos lived in the woods, and…"

"Aura," Dax said gently, putting his hand on hers. "We don't know for sure that Astos didn't deserve it. Today he was corrupt and evil, and driven to madness by the power of the Fiends and his own thirst for vengeance, but we don't know for sure that he was so innocent years ago when he was banished by the Elves. Maybe he was their rightful King, but maybe he was denied that because he was already corrupt."

Aura looked at Mace, but he still could not speak and would not meet her gaze. She turned to Edan for help, but he shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Astos very well. When I was very young, he sent me to Crescent Lake to apprentice with their Wizards. I had always planned on going back to serve him after becoming a Wizard, but Lukahn called upon me to be a Light Warrior."

There was a soft knock at the door, and a young elf messenger poked his head in. "The Prince wishes to see you."

The Light Warriors exchanged looks with one another, then got up to follow him. The messenger guided them to the castle and past the guards at the gate. Instead of going to the sick room on the first floor, however, they were led to an impressive reception room where the Prince sat on his throne in full dress. Sarila stood nearby, waiting to do anything he commanded of her. Respectfully, the Light Warriors all bowed before him.

"Please rise," Prince Alfred said. His voice, to Aura, sounded angelic. "I wished to thank you formally for saving my life. I understand you have a quest of your own you must complete, but I had hoped you would stay for a few days longer. I wish to have a reception and banquet in your honor."

Dax looked at his fellow Warriors. Edan stared at the floor, hiding his face in the shadows of his hat. Aura and Mace both gave Dax plaintive stares, obviously wishing for him to speak on their behalf. Dax sighed and turned to the Prince.

"We thank you very much for your kindness and hospitality, Your Highness," Dax said smoothly. "But I am afraid we must politely decline. Melmond is in grave danger, and we must help them as soon as possible."

"I understand," the Prince nodded. He looked at Sarila, who snapped her fingers, and from another doorway emerged two guards carrying a large trunk. The guards set it at Dax's feet and opened it for him. Dax felt his breath catch in his throat. It was packed with TNT, so much that it made him nervous just standing near it. He fought the urge to take a step back.

"Please accept this gift on behalf of myself and the Kingdom of Elfland," Prince Alfred said. "Light Warriors, go forth and make the Orbs shine again!"

Dax peeled his eyes away from the TNT and locked gazes with Sarila. She smiled at him, and Dax felt dirty.


	10. Chapter 10: Melmond

**Author's mumblings: **In case you hadn't noticed, in addition to cutting Matoya and the Marsh Cave out of the plot, I decided to trim away the whole Mystic Key thing, too. I've deemed all of those things that start with "M" to be Not Important to the Plot. (Honestly, that part of the game always annoyed me. Such a trial just to get out of the Aldi Sea and on to the first real boss fight!) How, you might ask, are they supposed to get all the goodies, like the Dragon Sword? Read on.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, nor any TNT or Dragon Swords or anything else cool like that. Just toe socks with little robots on them. That's right, I said toe socks with little robots on them. Jealous?**

*****************************************************************

_In a way, I am grateful that my voice was stolen. I do not know how to explain. _Mace breathed in the salty sea air and turned to watch his fellow Light Warriors tend to the sails and rigging of the ship. _Yes, what we did was not completely right, but we did what we had to. We must complete our mission. We must stop the Fiends and bring Light back to the Orbs. Astos was too far gone to help, anyway. He was as lost to us as poor Garland._

_It just doesn't sound right. I am glad I can not speak._

Mace turned his attention back to the sea. They were nearing the port.

The long trek to the Dwarf Cave was nerve-wracking for Dax. He and Mace carried the TNT, since they were the strongest party members, and he feel ill with anticipation the entire time. It did not help matters much that they kept getting attacked by Ogres. Dax forbade Edan from using any fire or lightning magic, for fear the TNT might catch a spark. Edan used ice magic, instead, or just clubbed at monsters with his staff.

At last, they reached the cool, dark, welcoming cave. Edan and Aura lit torches, but made sure to stay well away from the TNT as they walked. The Dwarves seemed just as preoccupied as before. They did not seem curious about the huge trunk they carried, and that struck Mace as particularly odd.

They sought out Nerrick again, who was down the long tunnel near the canal, as before.

"Nerrick!" Dax called to him, his voice straining from the weight of the trunk. "I have something for you."

Dax and Mace dropped the trunk with as gentle a _thud_ as they could muster. The contents still made Dax very nervous and he was grateful to be rid of it, but, at the moment, he was more grateful not to carry such a ridiculously heavy load.

Nerrick scurried over on his squat little legs and opened the lid. "Oh, wonderful! Nice work! Yes, yes indeed, this TNT is just what I need to finish my canal. Now, excuse me while I get to work."

The dwarf picked up the trunk with relative ease and hurried away. Mace and Aura gaped at him.

"They're strong," Dax explained.

"Indeed," Edan said, sounding impressed, in spite of himself.

The four began to walk away when they heard a voice call after them. They turned and saw Nerrick running back over without the trunk.

"I'd forgotten," Nerrick said. "This is for you."

He handed something to Dax and hurried off again before anyone could say a word. They gathered around and stared at it. It was an ancient looking key. Dax frowned, then remembered what it was and sucked in his breath.

"What is it for?" Aura asked him.

"The Armory," Dax said.

He led them to an ancient door. Mace wondered if they key would even work, but the climate of the cave had preserved everything very well. They key turned easily in the lock and the door swung open. Mace whistled.

"The Dwarves have not been in a battle in over a century, but they keep all of their equipment, just in case," Dax explained. "While I lived here, I saw this room opened once, when Smith had made an incredible sword he wanted to keep…. Here it is!"

Dax opened a box and pulled out a beautiful sword. Mace thought he might be imaging the faint green glow of the blade, but Aura saw it too.

"Is it… glowing?" she reached out to touch it.

"Smith said this was one of the best swords he had ever made, and he's been making swords for a very long time," Dax told them. "He personally took this sword to a very powerful Wizard and had it enchanted. It's called the Dragon Sword, and Smith says it's especially effective against Dragons and reptiles."

Mace was in love. He hefted the sword in his hand, checking the balance. Perfect. He sighed longingly.

"It's yours," Dax told him.

Mace looked startled.

"I insist," Dax said, picking up another sword, this one glowing faintly purple. "I want the Rune Sword. It slays magic-users." He laughed wickedly, eliciting some strange looks from his fellow magic-using companions.

Edan picked up the Power Staff; a wooden staff that had been enchanted to be as strong as steel. He tested it, swinging it around, then unexpectedly smashed the empty box that had held the Dragon Sword. Aura let out a little scream, startled. Edan examined the head of the staff and found it to be without a scratch.

"Excellent," he proclaimed.

"Here, Aura," Dax came to her and handed her a staff with a small, silver hammer head on the end of it. "Silver is a powerful metal, and it is especially powerful for magic-users," he told her, handing her the hammer. He took her free hand and slipped a silver bracelet onto her wrist. "This will protect you, since you can't wear armor."

She looked up at him and said quietly, "Thank you."

He stared into her eyes. They were enchanting in the flickering light of the torches. Suddenly, Dax became aware that he was still holding her hand and dropped it guiltily. Aura felt a pang of disappointment. _Did I do something wrong?_

Outside, a voice yelled, _"Fire in the hole!"_

The earth around them roared and shuddered violently. Outside, a chorus of Dwarf voices rose up in cheer. Nerrick's canal was complete.

***************************************************************

Thanks to the canal, Melmond was only a day's travel away by ship. The Light Warriors spent the night in the Dwarf Cave. When they woke up the next morning, they found a sack of gold left for them by the Dwarves. Aura wanted to thank them for their hospitality, but Dax explained that they shouldn't. Dwarves do not believe in thanking someone for a gift. To show thanks, they must do something in return. The Dwarves, he explained, expected the Light Warriors to do their job and return Light to the Orbs of Power.

They sailed their ship into the Western Sea and into Melmond's port without incident, but the sight of the town filled them with dread. It was in ruins. Over half of the town's buildings were reduced to rubble. The air smelled faintly of smoke. At first, Aura wasn't even sure anyone was left, but then she saw people moving about on the main road. As the Light Warriors drew near, they saw what the townspeople were doing. They were having a funeral. The town was already filled with gravestones, and many of the graves looked fresh. Upon closer inspection, they found that many of the gravestones were made from pieces of destroyed buildings. Beneath their feet, the grass was yellow and the dirt clay-like.

"What has happened here?" Aura whispered, mirroring the others' thoughts.

Edan shook his head. "It is far worse than I anticipated."

Among the buildings that had been destroyed were the Black and White Magic shops. A crumbling, but still intact, building had a makeshift sign hanging over the door, proclaiming it to be the temporary shop.

"Come on," Dax said to the others. "Let's see if we can get some information."

The others followed Dax to the makeshift Black and White Magic Shop. Inside, an old woman swept the floor where bits of the plaster ceiling had fallen, muttering curses to herself.

"Excuse me," Dax said. "We are-"

"I don't do business with Elves," the old woman spat after barely glancing at them. "'Specially not dirty half-breeds, like you. Now, get outta my shop."

Against his better judgment, Dax tried again. "We aren't here to purchase anything. We just wanted to know if -"

"I don't talk for free. Buy something' or get out," she interrupted again.

Dax shut his mouth. _Does she even realize she's just contradicted herself?_

"Doreen, what in the world are you squawking about, this time?" A man's voice said from the next room. A pleasant looking middle aged man came in and glanced briefly at the bewildered Light Warriors. "Oh, for crying out loud, Doreen. Can't you give these kids a break? They've obviously traveled a long ways to get here."

"Traveled here for nothin'," Doreen muttered, sweeping in quick, angry strokes. "Nothin' worth comin' here for, any more."

The man rolled his eyes and addressed the Light Warriors. "I am sorry about Doreen's less-than-warm welcome. She forgets sometimes that we aren't the only ones with problems." He wiped his hand on his robe and offered it to Dax. "My name is Dr. Unne. I am the president of Melmond College. Or what's left of it, anyway."

Dax shook his hand. "I am Dax. This is Mace, Aura, and Edan."

Handshakes went around.

"What can I do for you?" Dr. Unne asked.

"Actually, we were going to ask you the same thing," Dax told him. "We hear you have a small problem with Earth Fiends in these parts, and we were looking to start a Fiend extermination business."

Dr. Unne managed a small smile. "We certainly appreciate the thought, but it might be too late to save Melmond. Most of the townspeople have already left. Those of us who stuck around have had to deal with monsters, rot, famine, and a vampire."

"Vampire?" Edan repeated.

"He showed up here a couple of weeks ago and demanded our allegiance to somebody called Lich," Dr. Unne shrugged. "I guess he's your Earth Fiend. I really don't know. My field of expertise is ancient languages."

"What happened?" Dax asked.

"We told him to go away," Dr. Unne said grimly. "And he set fire to the town. Six people died. Many of the survivors packed up and left the next day, but some of us stayed because we can't imagine living anywhere else. The one they're burying today committed suicide."

Dax didn't have a response for that. He turned to Mace for help. The mute squire mouthed the word _where_.

"Any idea where the vampire came from, or where he went?" Dax asked Dr. Unne.

"I'm not sure. Sarda thinks he might have come from a cave on the southwest peninsula."

"Who's Sarda?"

Dr. Unne chucked. "Come on, you kids are killing me. You act like you've never heard of Dr. Unne, and now you're telling me you've never heard of Sarda the Sage? Where the heck did you kids from? The sky?"

"I know of Sarda the Sage," Edan spoke up. "He went to Crescent Lake years ago to visit Lukahn the Prophet. Lukahn asked him to join the Circle of Sages, but Sarda refused. He said his place was here in Melmond."

"That's right," Dr. Unne said. "But you've never heard of me?"

Edan shook his head. "Sorry."

Dr. Unne sighed. "There goes the last shred of my ego. So, who are you supposed to be, anyway? Mercenaries?"

Dax felt uncomfortable saying the line, but somebody had to say it for Mace. "We are the Light Warriors."

"Light Warriors?" Dr. Unne repeated, eyes wide. "I've heard of you. Hey, Doreen! These are the Light Warriors that Sarda told us about."

The cranky old woman stopped sweeping and put one hand on her hip defiantly. "You've gotta be kidding. These ragamuffin kids are supposed to save the world? Heh!"

She resumed sweeping. Dr. Unne turned to the Light Warriors and gave them a helpless look.

"It's okay," Dax assured him. "We get that a lot."

*************************************************************

Sarda the Sage lived in a cave far to the west of Melmond. The terrain between the town and Sarda's cave had turned into a marshland over the last few weeks, and from what the townspeople said, it appeared to be spreading. The townspeople also warned them that the marsh was filled with dangerous creatures, such as marsh tigers, and evil spirits. The town did not have a lot of supplies to offer, but the local blacksmith did have an impressive piece of steel armor that fit Mace like a glove. It was very expensive, but Dax reasoned that it was worth it. Mace was their best fighter, after all.

The Light Warriors stocked up on healing potions and other supplies and ventured west to meet with the Sage and find out more information about the vampire and Lich. Once they were outside of the Melmond and into the marsh, it didn't take long for them to see the dangers the townspeople had warned them of.

As she marched through the swampy land, Aura became aware of a sound around her. It sounded like whispers, and she stopped to listen. Behind her, Edan stopped walking and listened, too.

"What is it?" Edan asked her.

"Voices," Aura said softly.

Up ahead of them, Mace and Dax stopped walking and turned around. Everyone listened, but no one could hear it except for Aura.

"Maybe it's the wind," Dax suggested lamely.

"No, it's voices," Aura insisted. "I hear them."

"What are they saying?" Edan asked.

She listened, concentrating, but she couldn't make it out. She shook her head helplessly.

Dax wet his lips with his tongue and called out, "Hello! Can anyone hear me?"

Silence.

"Hello!" Dax bellowed again.

"It's gone," Aura said softly.

Mace got a strange feeling, as though he were being watched. He put his hand on his Dragon Sword and drew it out of the sheath, just an inch, looking around. There was nothing but swampland as far as the eye could see, but it had grown eerily quiet. Too quiet. Dax and Edan felt the hair on the back of their necks rise at about the same time. Dax drew his sword out completely, readying himself. Aura turned around and sucked her breath in quietly. A hooded figure stood roughly fifty feet away from her, only it could not be _standing_, because it had no feet. It floated. Mace and Dax turned to face this newcomer, uncertain of what to do.

"Hello?" Dax said.

The figure threw back its hood, revealing the most horrifying face underneath that any of them had ever seen. They were not even sure what species it was, because its face had decomposed to the point that it was mostly skull. His hissed and raised its arms threateningly. More hisses sounded around them, and Dax realized that they were surrounded. There were five more of these figures all around them.

"Steady," Dax called to his comrades above the hissing.

The Light Warriors drew together in a tight circle, each facing outward. The creatures lunged, but before the combat began, Aura raised her silver hammer in the air and chanted an incantation. An explosion of faintly pink light exploded from the hammer and flooded the area. The light seemed to have no effect on the Light Warriors, but when it touched the creatures, they screamed and smoke rose from their faces and hands as if it burned them. Dax did not wait for them to recover. He lunged at the nearest creature and hacked at it with his sword. As it fell under his blade, it vanished into thin air. He turned around and saw that all but one of the creatures had vanished. The last one grabbed Aura by her robes and _threw her_, as though she weighed nothing. She fell somewhere out of sight, deep into the reeds. Edan brought his staff down on the creature's rotten skull and shattered it. The thing crumpled, disappearing before it even finished dropping to the muddy earth.

"Aura!" Dax called, dashing into the reeds where he'd seen her go. "Aura!"

"Over here," a voice called faintly. He searched and found her sitting on the ground, inspecting herself for injuries.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I think so," she said, sounding shaken. "Just knocked the wind out of me."

He helped her to her feet slowly, but she seemed fine. "From the way that thing threw you, I was sure you'd be badly hurt. You're very fortunate. What was that spell you cast, anyway? I've never seen anything like it."

"A very ancient spell," Aura said sadly, shaking her head. "I never thought I would need it. It's a spell to harm undead things."

"Undead?"

"Evil creatures that have died and been brought back through ill means," she explained. "I always thought the spell was worthless, because there were no such creatures when I was young. They were only stories," she paused, her lip trembling. "Something terrible and evil is nearby. I can feel it with every inch of my skin. It's not just rotting the earth, it's rotting away all that is good."

Aura was getting more and more distressed. Dax didn't know what to do, so he just pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Just over a mile away from them, straight down, Lich stirred in his cave and growled. He could feel the presence of powerful beings. He knew nothing of Lukahn's prophecy, nothing of the Light Warriors, but he knew he was in trouble. He stretched his arms out until his fingers buried themselves into the rock wall and grew, like roots, throughout the cave. Creatures stirred, grew, and transformed. The entire cave readied itself for the coming of these warriors. Back on the surface, Dax and Aura kissed passionately, unaware of the dangers that awaited them.


	11. Chapter 11: The Vampire

**Author's Mumblings**: Yes, I cut out the Titan. The greedy jerk can find his rubies elsewhere. They still have to fight the vampire, though.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. Yes, I know I'm short, but you may not pat me on the head, so stop asking.**

********************************************************************

Sarda's cave was blessedly quiet and safe. The foyer was small and led to two doors. Dax opened the first one and found some makeshift wood furniture; a humble bedroom. Edan opened the next door. It opened into a large room that was filled with… junk. Dax wasn't even sure of what most of it was. Thingamabobs and doohickeys were scattered everywhere. There were stacks of books on the floor that were as tall as the tables. Scrolls were scattered on every surface imaginable. Dozens of clocks lined the walls, ticking and swinging pendulums back and forth.

"Come in, come in," an old man's voice called from somewhere in the flotsam and jetsam. "I've been waiting for you, Light Warriors."

Dax squinted, looking around, and finally spotted a tiny old man weaving around the overflowing worktables. He was shorter than Edan, but appeared to be human. He had a shiny, bald crown and long, flowing white hair ringed around the lower half of his head that nearly came down to the floor. He wore the typical robes of a sage and used a cane, despite the fact that he appeared able-bodied. The little man came right up to them and inspected each Light Warrior one by one.

"Mm hm, mm hm," the man said to himself. He pulled out a very large pocket watch and squinted at it. "Oh, my, yes. Very late," he admonished them.

"I'm sorry," Dax said slowly. "You're Sarda, correct?"

"Who else would I be?" The old man chuckled. He tucked the watch away in his robes and motioned to Mace. "Now, we have no time to lose. Come here, squire."

Mace glanced at his companions uncertainly and slowly got down to his knees so the old man could reach him. Sarda roughly lifted Mace's head, baring his throat, and poked at the angry red scar that covered the skin there. Muttering "mm hm" to himself a few times, the sage jerked Mace's head down and peeled his eyelids open with both hands, making the eyeballs look as though they might fall out of his head.

"Very interesting," Sarda declared, releasing the poor squire who rubbed his face grudgingly. "There's nothing wrong with his voice. He should be able to speak. He's just lost his confidence!"

Mace opened his mouth to protest, or perhaps yell obscenities at the strange little man, but nothing came out.

"How do we help him?" Aura asked.

"There is nothing you can do for him, my dear," Sarda said sympathetically. "He must find his own voice."

Dax was fighting impatience. He wanted to get going. "Tell us what you know about this vampire that attacked the town. Is he the Earth Fiend?"

"Oh, no," Sarda shook his head. "The vampire merely speaks for him. The Earth Fiend can not leave his cave. If you seek the Earth Fiend, I suspect you'll have to talk to the vampire, first."

"Any idea where this cave is?" Dax asked.

"To the south, on the peninsula," Sarda called over his shoulder as he ran to one of his workbenches that was covered in rolled up parchments and ancient-looking books. "I have a map here, somewhere… ah! Here it is."

Sarda unrolled the yellowed parchment and spread it on the floor. The Light Warriors gathered around to see it.

"Here is Melmond, and here is my cave," Sarda pointed. "Lich's cave is here, in the abandoned mine. Lich has made some modifications to it. It is far deeper now than it ever was when the humans mined it."

"How do you know all this?" Dax asked. Both Sarda and Edan gave him a sharp look, as though he had uttered a terrible insult.

"Because, dear boy," Sarda said at last. "I have _seen _it in a vision. Do you not ever have visions? You have the capability. Both of your parents had visions. That's how they knew about you before they even met each other."

Dax felt himself flush with embarrassment, though he wasn't sure why.

Aura sensed his discomfort and changed the subject. "How long will it take us to reach the earth cave on foot?"

"Two days, under ideal circumstances," Sarda said. "I suspect the journey is longer, now, with all of the maddened creatures and evil spirits lurking about."

"We encountered some on the way over," Dax reported. "What's causing that?"

"Lich!" Sarda shouted, startling them. "The Earth Fiend has brought madness and rot to the earth and all who dwell upon it! He must be stopped, or the madness will just keep spreading. The rot will reach the Dwarves in a matter of weeks, Coneria in less than two months, and Elfland soon after that."

The Light Warriors were silent. They all felt a chill, realizing just how imperative it was that they stop the Earth Fiend.

"What about the other Fiends?" Dax asked.

"They all must be stopped," Sarda said. "They do not dwell near here, so their own rot has not been felt as strongly in this part of the world, but it will not be long. Each Fiend has begun its own rot of their respective element; Earth, Fire, Water and Wind. I'm afraid I don't know much about the last two, but I do know that Kary, the Fiend of Fire, has been stirring in the Gurgu Volcano."

Edan looked up sharply and met the sage's eyes. "Gurgu Volcano? Near Crescent Lake?"

"She has her eyes set on the city," Sarda said to him. "And on Lukahn's Circle of Sages."

"We must leave for Crescent Lake, immediately," Edan told Dax.

"Out of the question," Sarda answered for him. "Your work here is not done, yet."

"But Lukahn is in danger!" Edan cried.

"We are _all _in danger, son," Sarda the Sage said. "That's why you're here."

Dax took a deep breath, stood up, and began putting his leather gloves on.

"Okay," Dax announced. "First, we need to take care of business with this vampire and Lich, then we'll board the ship and hightail it for Crescent Lake to save Lukahn. If need be, we'll begin evacuations for the entire city. Agreed?" To himself, he thought _I can't do this. I'm no leader. This is a mistake! This isn't my crystal Orb of Power. I found it in the woods. I'm not supposed to be here._

Mace and Aura nodded. Edan crossed his arms and looked away, frustrated, but did not disagree.

"Let's go," Dax said. He led the way to the door.

"Dax," Sarda called quietly after him.

Dax motioned to the others to wait for him outside, then returned to the strange little man.

"I have something for you," The sage told him. He rummaged around on another worktable, muttering under his breath, until he pulled out a small, iron rod no longer than his forearm with a dragon's head on it. "Here. You must take this with you to the Earth Cave. You'll need it."

Dax turned the rod over in his hands, rubbing his fingers over the forged metal. "What's it for?"

"I don't know," Sarda shrugged and chuckled. "I just know that you'll need it."

Dax stuck the rod through a loop on his belt and turned to leave again, but Sarda grabbed his arm.

"You shouldn't have kissed her, Dax," Sarda said in a teasing voice. "Now you'll never be able to resist her."

Dax jerked his arm out of the sage's grasp and walked stiffly away from him. As the door shut behind him, he could hear the old man laughing crazily.

*****************************************************************

They encountered tigers on their way to the Earth Cave, as well as the local variety of Ogre, which were bigger and meaner than the ones around the Aldi sea and had greenish skin. It took three days to reach Lich's cave. They were still an hour's walk away from it when they began to find evidence that the humans had left behind; old mining equipment, such as headlamps, the foundations of small buildings that had long since crumbled away from neglect, even a few old headstones. Mining was dangerous work for humans. They did not have the harmony with the earth that the Dwarves did, but what they lacked in ability they made up for in greed.

The entrance to the cave was enormous. It yawned before them like a mouth with a few stalactites hanging down to resemble teeth. Old tracks for mining cars wound out of it like a lazy tongue. The Light Warriors couldn't help wondering if it might swallow them all, but none of them voiced the thought out loud. Dax wondered if it had been that big to begin with, if the humans had expanded it, or if Lich had.

"Maybe we should camp here for the night and get an early start, tomorrow," Dax suggested.

"No," Aura said, surprising them all. "I want to get this over with before I lose my nerve."

And without another word, she set off for the cave. The others followed her.

Aura waited just inside the entrance. The light faded into darkness quickly in this cave. Mace unpacked torches and handed them to Aura and Edan to carry, so that the fighters would have their hands free. Once they were lit, they ventured into the darkness. To their dismay, they discovered that the cave branched off in four different directions.

"Let's try this way," Dax suggested, pointing to the tunnel that sloped down, slightly. There was no use arguing, so they went. Mace marked the tunnel wall, so they could find their way back. Bats fluttered by, disturbed by the sudden torch light invading their cave, but they did not attack. After several twists and turns, the Light Warriors found themselves back where they had begun.

"Now what?" Aura asked miserably.

"We could try that way," Edan suggested, pointing to another tunnel.

Dax was about to say something when he heard a noise coming towards them. The others heard it, too, and began looking around, but Dax had lived in the Dwarf Cave long enough to know this sound was coming from underneath them. He knelt and put his hand on the ground, feeling the vibrations.

"What is it?" Aura asked nervously.

Dax shook his head. "Something big."

The noise got louder, until suddenly the ground underneath them seemed to bulge. They scrambled out of the way just in time. A massive creature sprouted from the ground like a plant. It had the face of an Imp, the body of an Ogre, and a stem that went into the ground instead of feet. Strange red tendrils came out of its head, but did not look like hair so much as spider legs. As Dax took a closer look, he realized this thing was made of Earth. As it flexed its powerful arms, tiny particles of sand tumbled off of its skin. Its eyes glittered like jewels.

"Hello," Dax said to it.

It grinned at them, showing off row upon row of teeth, like a shark. Two things happened at once: Mace saw the Earth Creature tense, and he instinctively drew his sword. He intercepted its hand just before it struck Dax. The blow made his arms feel as though they might come out of their sockets, but he held true.

The Light Warriors split up and surrounded the Earth Creature, attacking it from all angles. Edan cast a fire spell on it and smiled with grim satisfaction when he saw the flames cause cracks in the thing's "skin." It roared and backhanded the Black Mage, sending him flying. Mace came down on the creature's arm and chopped it off. The arm seemed to melt into the ground, and they all watched in horror and fascination as a ripple ran through the creature's earthen skin and the arm grew back. It _laughed _at them.

Dax had a sudden revelation. "Mace! Aim for the stem."

The squire understood, and the two of them hacked with their swords at the point where the creature joined with the ground. It roared again and tried to fight them off, but Edan had recovered and blasted it with another fire spell. The base cracked and the Earth Creature fell over. It shattered on the ground like pottery.

The four warriors stood for a moment with their weapons out, breathing hard. A crumbling noise made them all jump.

"Look!" Aura pointed. The base of the stem that had once joined the Earth Creature with the ground was dissolving, leaving a gaping hole in the ground. They all inched closer and peered into the hole. Experimentally, Edan cast a small fireball down the dark hole. It hit another floor about twelve feet down, briefly illuminating another tunnel beneath them before it died.

"Let's go," Dax said, sheathing his sword.

*****************************************************************

The creatures in this new system of tunnels were unlike any the Light Warriors had seen before. There were man-like beasts with the heads of bulls, green-skinned giants with hungry pet lizards, and an assortment of poisonous snakes and spiders.

But the worst, for Edan, were the trolls. They were humanoid creatures with bluish skin, tufts of red hair growing sporadically on their bodies, and long horns that twisted in loose spirals like strands of Aura's wavy hair. Their shrieks made Edan's ears hurt and the smelled like raw sewage, especially when cut with a sword. It made Edan gag uncontrollably.

They paused for a break and Aura brought him a steaming cup of herbal tea.

"It'll help settle your stomach," she promised him.

"Uh, thank you," Edan said. He watched with amazement as she curled up on the floor with her knapsack under her head and promptly fell asleep.

"Look at that," Dax said, mirroring his thoughts. "How can she sleep like that?"

"Clean conscience," Edan guessed.

Mace sat by himself, cleaning and oiling the swords. He found comfort in the old habit, as it took his mind off of other things, such as the fact that they were in a dark cave looking for a vampire and something worse. He examined the blade of the Dragon Sword carefully in the torchlight, sheathed it, and picked up the Rune Sword. He was nearly finished with it when he heard a noise. It sounded like another one of those Earth Creatures coming at them.

Dax rose to his feet and held out his hand. Mace tossed him the Rune Sword and he caught it easily. He whispered Aura's name and she woke up instantly, grabbing her silver hammer. Edan finished his tea, leaning on his staff nonchalantly.

The ground beneath their feet bubbled and rose up again. They jumped away and readied themselves. This time when the monster emerged from it, they were ready and attacked without hesitation. With their teamwork and skill, the monster quickly fell and exposed another tunnel underneath them. The Light Warriors climbed down the hole and continued on their journey.

It didn't take long for them to realize that this tunnel was different. It was widening and the floor was slanting downward while the ceiling remained where it was. Before long, the tunnel was large enough to accommodate a family of dragons.

"Look," Aura whispered, pointing. They had reached the end of the corridor and found a door. A real door. They came up to it and examined it. It was large and made of wood with ornate carvings of vines and monstrous faces all over it. It did not look inviting.

"Should we knock, first?" Dax asked half-seriously.

The door flew open, startling them, and revealed another large room with hundreds of lit candles along the walls. On a throne on the other side of the room, about a hundred yards away, a figure sat. It appeared to be waiting for them. Dax leaned into the room and looked around carefully, including up, but saw no one else in the room. He motioned to the others and they ventured in.

As they got closer, they could see the figure on the throne was a man, though he was rather small and slender built, like an Elf or a woman. His skin was as white as porcelain and his hair black and shiny. His robes were dark. It was difficult to tell the color in the uncertain glow of candlelight, but Dax thought they might be purple.

Dax decided not to waste any more time. "Are you the vampire who attacked Melmond?"

The pale man folded his hands together and said nothing.

"We want to speak to Lich and negotiate a treaty." Dax said, eliciting a laugh from the pale man. "I'm serious. Nobody has to die, here."

"All living things were born to die," the vampire said. The Light Warriors took a step back uncertainly as he rose from his throne and raised his hands. Before Dax could draw his sword, a shower of light rained down on him. Dax's eyes rolled back into his head and he dropped unconscious to the floor. The vampire somehow rushed over and caught him just before his head banged on the hard earth floor. He moved so fast, they didn't even see him. The vampire opened his mouth, showing his sharp teeth, and the others knew what he was about to do to Dax.

Mace drew his sword and brought it down on the vampire's back, but he dropped Dax and rushed away. Again, he was so fast, he was just a blur when he moved. They were beginning to see how one vampire could take down an entire village by himself.

Edan chanted a fire spell at the vampire. Unable to dodge magic, the vampire howled in pain and threw off his burning robes. Aura chanted her harm spell, and watched in grim satisfaction as it, too, burned the undead man. Mace attacked the vampire while it was distracted by the magic and got a hit in before it could dodge him.

The vampire ran up the wall and jumped over the Light Warriors, landing behind Aura. He tried to dazzle her with the same spell that he'd used on Dax, but it had no effect on her. Being a White Mage, she had a natural defense to many such spells, but he didn't know that. She swung at him with her hammer, but he managed to avoid the blow.

Dax woke up and jumped to his feet, looking a little disoriented. He saw Mace swinging his sword at the vampire, who was backing away from him towards Dax. Dax quickly drew his sword and attacked from the other side. The vampire jumped up and over his head. While he was still in the air, Dax quickly chanted a fire spell at him and the fireball struck before the vampire could even hit the ground. The vampire fell to his knees, weakened, and they quickly finished him off.

Their victory was short lived, as they realized there were no other doors in the room and no other corridors to explore. Lich had somehow eluded them.

"Split up and search the room," Dax suggested.

The others nodded and wandered off in different directions. Dax searched some boxes he found near the vampire's throne. He found some gold, but nothing else of interest.

Suddenly, he heard someone snapping their fingers and looked up. Mace gestured to him from behind the throne. Dax hurried over, the others close behind. Mace had swept the dirt away from the floor behind the throne and found a huge stone plate. It wouldn't budge.

"That looks almost like a keyhole," Edan pointed to a small hole on one end of the plate.

Dax remembered the metal rod Sarda had given him and pulled it out of his belt. He placed the end into the hole. It fit perfectly, but the plate didn't move. He tried turning the rod, pushing it in further, pulling it out, but nothing happened.

"Now what?" Dax wondered aloud.

"Try using it to pry the plate up," Aura suggested.

He did so. To his amazement, the heavy stone plate began to move. When it had raised about an inch up, it suddenly shattered, revealing a stairway.


	12. Chapter 12: The Fiend of Earth

**Author's Mumblings: **Many apologies for the ridiculously long hiatus from this story. I could bore you with excuses about how busy my life is, but I won't. Rest assured, I will finish this story.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. Lich doesn't, either, but if you try to tell him that, he might try to eat you.**

* * *

The carved stone stairway led downward into the darkness. Dax crept down the first few steps, holding his sword in one hand and a torch in the other. When he was satisfied that there was no immediate danger, he sheathed his sword and gestured to the others to follow. One by one, they ventured down the narrow stairway.

It brought them to a twisting passageway which led them far down into the cold, dark earth. They all wondered how deep underground they were, but no one spoke. They didn't dare, because they could all sense the presence of something purely evil.

Eventually, the passageway came to an end at a large, ornately carved door. It depicted scenes of monstrous demons and torture and death on it. There was no knob or handle of any kind, just a knocker in the shape of a hangman's noose. Dax rolled his eyes, unimpressed, and knocked.

The massive door swung inward, revealing a room even more vast and grand than the one that had housed the vampire. Candles covered the wall, casting an amber light into the room. At the far end of the room stood an altar of some kind with a black crystal orb on it, similar to the Light Warriors' but much larger. As they drew nearer, they could see clouds of black and charcoal grey swirling inside of it, like a storm.

"You have defeated my vampire," a voice said. There did not seem to be a source for the oddly pleasant-sounding voice. It came from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

"Yes," Dax said uncertainly, searching for the source of the voice.

"You have accomplished much for ones so young," the voice went on. "You are very brave."

"We've come to ask you to restore the power you stole from the Orbs," Dax said, focusing on the altar.

"No," the voice chuckled. "I don't believe I will do that."

"Why not?" Dax demanded. "Why must we fight? What do you want?"

"I want to suck the life out of every living thing on the planet," the voice said. Its charming, pleasant tone was unnerving, like someone suggesting they go on a picnic.

The Orb on the altar cracked, and the swirling darkness inside of it began boiling out onto the floor. The Light Warriors felt the hair on their arms rise. This thick, black substance exuded evil like they'd never felt before. Dax and Mace drew their swords. The two mages behind them stood to the side to give them room. They watched the black stuff on the floor growing larger. Tendrils shot out, startling them, and imbedded themselves into the cave walls like roots. The candles fluttered, a few of them going out.

Dax felt a growing sense of dread in his stomach that had become all too familiar over the last few weeks. For the thousandth time he thought about the owner of his Orb, whom he had found dead in the woods near Coneria, and cursed him for dying so foolishly.

_If I get out of here alive_, he vowed, _I'm going to get drunk. I'm going to drink myself into a coma so that the others will have to leave me in the gutter I've fallen in._

The tendrils began curling inside the mass of blackness, forming a skeletal figure. The tendrils began turning white, looking something like a cross between roots and bones. The Light Warriors knew this strange and menacing figure must be Lich, the Fiend of Earth.

"Just who was it that sent you on this quest, anyway?" Lich asked them conversationally as he grew larger and larger. "Surely you didn't come up with this on your own. Someone had to guide you here. I see that at least two of you are Elves. You're a long way from home."

"Lukahn the Prophet," Edan told him.

"Those foolish Seers," Lich said with disgust. "They never can get anything done, so they send others to do the dirty work. And look what they've chosen. They've sent mere children to face me."

The figure was enormous, now; at least twice as tall as Dax. A skull-like face emerged from the top of the black, swirling mass, and long, bony arms unfolded and extended, palm up, to the Light Warriors.

"Tell you what," Lich said in a friendly voice. "Give me the Orbs of Power, and I'll let you live."

"What do you need them for?" Dax asked suspiciously. "You've already drained the power from them."

"We will give you nothing!" Edan spat in fury.

Lich laughed and began chanting a spell unfamiliar to the Black Mage. Aura, however, recognized it and quickly chanted her own spell. She managed to finish hers first, and a reddish bubble formed around each of the Light Warriors. Lich finished his spell and clapped his bony hands together. The clap sent a shockwave across the room that brought the Light Warriors to their knees. Dax felt his armor grow hot and smelled burning hair. He screamed, dimly aware of the others screaming with him. Lich had casted Nuke, the most powerful fire spell in existence. If Aura had not casted her fire protection spell, it would have surely killed them all.

Mace lost consciousness briefly, but falling down on the hard, stone floor jarred him back to reality. Weakly, he pulled a healing potion out of his pocket and pulled the cork out with his teeth. He dumped the cool, soothing liquid on his own face and felt some of his strength return. When the vial was empty, he flung it aside, picked up his sword, and staggered to his feet.

Lich was already chanting another spell. Mace felt fury and adrenaline course through his veins. _We will not be defeated like this._

Mace launched himself at the Fiend, cutting several of the tendrils that anchored Lich to the earth. Lich snarled and took a swing at him, but missed.

Aura forced herself to get up, too, and cast her most powerful healing spell on Edan. The Black Mage woke up from the brink of death and quickly launched into his most powerful fire spell. It was not nearly as strong as Lich's Nuke spell, but it did damage to the Fiend. More damage, in fact, than Mace's sword. Dax noticed this as he got up, and quickly cast a healing spell upon himself, followed by a fire spell for Lich.

Lich noticed this, immediately. Someone who could cast both Black and White Magic rare, and it gave him pause. _Didn't Kary says something about a Red Mage to me, recently?_

Mace saw the Fiend hesitate and seized the opportunity to attack. He redoubled his efforts and hacked at the tendrils that had bored themselves into the earth. Lich swung at him and missed again. Lich howled in frustration and raked his hands across the ceiling, bringing rocks down on the Light Warriors' heads. Aura was hit by a heavy stone and fell to the ground. She hadn't yet healed herself from the Nuke spell. Dax felt his heart stop, wondering if she were dead, and ran to her.

"Aura," Dax whispered, gently rolling her over.

Edan began to shout a warning to Dax, who looked up in time to see Lich massive fist connect with his torso, knocking the wind out of him. He tumbled and rolled onto his back, stunned. He could dimly hear the sounds of combat, of Mace screaming obscenities at Lich. Dax struggled to sit up. Pain shot through him, and he realized at least one of his ribs was broken.

Suddenly, something large and round rolled between his legs. Dax lifted his head to look at it and felt a little bit of vomit come up into his mouth. It was Lich's head. Its eyes focused on Dax's face and blinked. Dax fainted.

Lich's headless body continued to stand, and Mace kept his sword raised, waiting for any sign that it would continue the assault. The body slowly began to slump to the left, then it fell, pulling several of the remaining tendrils out of the wall. A strange, gray light emitted from his body and passed though the wall, causing the earth to tremble. Lich's disembodied voice called out, _"Kary, avenge me!"_

A thousand miles away, across the ocean, a woman's voice raged inside a volcano , but Lich did not hear her. He was dead.

Edan lifted Aura's head and she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Did we make it?" She asked weakly.

"For now," Edan replied.

Mace stared at Lich's body in shock, slowly realizing the battle was over. He closed his eyes, then felt something in his pocket move. Curious, he dug his hand in and pulled out his Orb. It glowed green, brighter and more vibrantly than anything he had ever seen. The Power had been restored to the Orb of Earth.

_It is beautiful_, he thought. _More beautiful than I dreamed. All I have done is for this moment. I have been redeemed_.

"Look," Mace said to his fellow Light Warriors, his voice cracking with emotion. "My Orb…"

"Mace, you spoke," Aura said weakly.

Dax stirred and opened his eyes. For a moment, he was confused, because all he could see was green. He was not alarmed; he felt oddly peaceful and safe. The green light grew brighter, filling the room until it blinded the Light Warriors with its brilliance. Then, abruptly, the light vanished and the four young warriors found themselves outside, just a few yards away from the mouth of the Earth Cave.

Mace held the Orb in his hands, gazing into the swirling green light inside. The young squire put his head down and wept.


	13. Chapter 13: The Circle of Sages

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, there is no Sanctuary, and we have always been at war with Eastasia.**

* * *

Mace led the weary Light Warriors back to Melmond, his confidence returned. Dax was happy to let him be leader, again. He didn't like the feeling of having others depend on him, and he was mightily embarrassed about fainting. He brought up the rear of the pack, kicking at dirt clods and scowling. His ribs throbbed in pain, but he refused to tell anyone about it.

The long trek through the marshlands was punctuated by several small battles with tigers and the strange ghostly figures, but after everything they'd been through in the Earth Cave, the young Light Warriors were no longer phased by these petty enemies.

As they drew near Melmond, Mace could immediately tell something was different. Tufts of green grass began to appear on the ground, here and there a dandelion blossom. The buildings of the town were still in ruin, but the people walked around with newfound purpose, their heads held high. The sounds of hammering and chiseling echoed through the streets. Gardens had appeared among the tombstones. Life was returning to Melmond.

A figure ran up to them from the left, and it took them all a moment to realize that it was cranky old Doreen. She was almost unrecognizable with a big grin on her face.

"There you are!" She said breathlessly. "Look! Look at them trees over there. They started buddin' yesterday, and today a few of 'em have already started bloomin'."

They looked at the trees. White and pink flowers had, indeed, begun to bloom on them.

"Everythin's happenin' so fast," Doreen went on, tears forming in her eyes. "Our beautiful town is bein' reborn."

Dax frowned at the wrecked buildings, but didn't say anything. _Let the old woman enjoy herself._

"Oh, I almost forgot. Dr. Unne wants to see you," Doreen said. "We been on the lookout for you for days, ever since the grass started growin'. He said to bring you over as soon as you get back. Come on, this way."

Mace raised his eyebrows at his comrades, eliciting a weak smile from Aura. They followed Doreen to the White Magic Shop, where Dr. Unne was studying some old books. He looked up at them as they came in and smiled broadly.

"At last," He said delightedly. "I knew you must have been successful, but I was beginning to worry about you. You've been gone a while," Dr. Unne paused and looked over their torn, burned, soiled clothing. "Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow to talk. You look like you could use some food and sleep. And baths."

"We must leave for Crescent Lake immediately," Edan said.

Dr. Unne said nothing. Mace turned to his fellow Light Warriors. Edan appeared to be sagging under his baggy cloaks and Dax stared off at nothing with glazed eyes. Aura spotted an empty chair and sank into it with a sigh.

"I think we should rest," Mace said quietly to Edan.

"You heard what Lich said," Edan hissed. "You saw the strange light. It was a signal of some kind. I'm certain of it. We must leave immediately. Lukahn and the other sages are in Danger. Kary surely knows about Lich's defeat by now, and she will seek vengeance."

Mace lifted the hat off of Eden's head, revealing the young Dark Elf's face. Dark rings shadowed his eyes.

"Everyone is exhausted, including you," Mace said, gently but firmly. "We can not fight if we are too weak to stand."

Edan scowled, but nodded. Mace gave him back his hat.

* * *

Aura opted to bathe, first. One of the villagers brought her to a nice cottage that had survived the vampire's attack and let her take a bath. She loaned Aura some clean clothing, until her own could be cleaned and mended, while someone else brought a simple meal of soup and bread. Aura felt a little guilty, as the people of Melmond still had so few resources to spare, but they insisted.

Feeling amazingly revived, she ventured out to find her comrades. She found Mace and Edan at another house nearby. Edan was fast asleep and Mace looked as though he would be, soon. He was finishing his own dinner when Aura arrived.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Better," Mace said after swallowing. He glanced at the young Dark Elf. "He literally _fell_ asleep. I had to remove his shoes for him."

Aura smiled. "Where is Dax?"

"I have not seen him," Mace yawned.

Aura left the young squire to rest and wandered around the town. It still looked terrible from the damage it has suffered, but everywhere she went, Aura saw scaffolds and tools and people making plans to fix or rebuild what had been lost. Everyone was in good spirits, and the mood rubbed off on Aura.

Her smile faded when she found Dax. He was in the town's only pub, _The Dancing Dragon, _drinking ale and whiskey. He did not look as though he'd bathed, yet, and she doubted he'd eaten anything.

"Dax?" She asked tentatively. "Are you alright?"

Dax smiled sadly at her. "Hello, beautiful. Care for a drink?"

"No, thank you."

"I'll have another one, then," Dax finished off his small glass of whiskey and pushed it across the bar. As the bartender refilled it, Dax pulled out a handful of gold coins and dumped it on the bar. The bartender picked out the ones he needed and set the whiskey down next to Dax's beer.

"Thanks," Dax mumbled. He made no move to retrieve his extra money, which probably meant he planned on staying there for a while.

Aura sat down on the barstool next to his. "Dax, you look terrible. Why don't you get some sleep."

"No, no," Dax said, rubbing his head. "I need the painkiller. I busted my ribs the other day."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Aura asked, startled.

Dax shrugged. Aura watched him drink for a while, unsure of what to say. She got up to leave and he turned to her.

"Are you and Mace…?" Dax trailed off.

"Are we what?" She prompted him.

Dax drummed his fingers on the bar, arguing with himself inside.

Aura sat back down. "Are we what?"

"Never mind."

She touched his arm gently. "Go take a bath and get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, come find me so I can take care of your injuries. Will you do that for me?"

"Sure," he muttered.

"Have I done something wrong?" She asked. "You seem… angry, or something."

"Just sick of pretending to be something I'm not," he said bitterly. "I'm not a great warrior, and I don't care about saving the world. This is where I belong. Right here with the booze."

"You don't mean that," Aura said quietly.

"The hell I don't," he snapped. "Why don't you leave me alone? Go find Mace and bother him. I'm sure he'd appreciate your company more."

Aura's face stung as if she'd been slapped. She jumped off the barstool and left quickly, not looking back.

* * *

Aura treated Dax's injuries the next day. Neither of them spoke. Mace and Edan could sense the tension between them, but did not dare ask what had happened.

The entire town of Melmond came to the port to bid the Light Warriors farewell. Aura tried to be happy as she waved goodbye to the good townspeople of Melmond, but she could not muster much enthusiasm. She felt sad, confused, and a little bit angry about the way Dax had treated her.

Dax sat on the deck next to the rail, trying not to be ill, while Mace patiently taught Aura about the different sails and rigging. Dax watched them with a mixture of jealousy and contempt. Nearby, Edan watched all of them with a growing sense of unease.

Dax's hangover subsided as the day went on, but he refused to speak to anyone. That evening, they were attacked by sahags. The Light Warriors fought them off easily. Dax went to bed soon after, leaving the others to take turns with the night watch.

* * *

Crescent Lake was inland, surrounded by a vast forest. It took several days for the Light Warriors to hike from the nearest port to the lake, then another day to walk around the lake to the town.

The creatures in the forest were fierce. The giant, ancient trees seemed to be the perfect breeding ground for equally giant centipedes that were very good at ambushing them, despite being bright red in color. They were all relieved when the blue waters of the moon-shaped lake were in sight.

The city of Crescent Lake was a center of learning and philosophy, but it had gained its wealth for these things through hard work. The mountains and caves in the area were rich in silver, and the silversmiths of Crescent Lake were renowned for their fine weapons and armor crafted from the precious metal.

As the four travelers drew near the city gates, Edan rushed ahead a few paces, searching for any signs of trouble. The tall, white stone walls were unmarred. Two guards stood by the entrance, looking bored. Everything seemed normal.

"Perhaps Kary has not received word of Lich's defeat," Mace mused aloud.

Edan didn't respond. His eyes wandered to the vast mountains beyond Crescent Lake's forest in the direction of Gurgu Volcano. The volcano was not visible from there, but he could see a single suspicious cloud rising into the air.

As the Light Warriors entered the town, they were struck by how picturesque it was. The grass and trees were lush and green, flowers bloomed everywhere, birds sang and people walked around without a care in the world.

"Everything seems so normal," Edan said, confused.

"It's more than normal," Aura breathed. "It's gorgeous."

Mace put his hands on his hips. "Where do we find Lukahn?"

"This way," Edan began walking and the others followed.

He guided them around the houses and shops to a small wooded area in the northeast corner. Hidden behind some shrubs was a tiny gap in the city's walls. Edan slipped inside and moved through the dense vegetation with the ease of someone intimately familiar with the landscape.

The clearing appeared suddenly, startling the other three Light Warriors. Twelve old men in robes stood in a circle, apparently waiting for them. They all appeared to be human.

One of the men, who appeared to be the oldest, stepped forward and spoke. His body appeared small and frail, but his voice was loud, clear and commanding.

"I am Lukahn," he said. "Now all legends and prophecy will be fulfilled. Our path has been decided."


End file.
